BV 245 .H343 1898 
 Headlam, Cecil, 1872- 
 Prayers of the saints 
 
 ^ ^— F w T^J^ 
 
prapers of tbe Saints 
 
The four beasts and four-and-twenty elders fell 
 down before the Lamb, having every one of them 
 harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the 
 prayers of saints. — Re%>. v. 8. 
 
 And another angel came and stood at the altar, 
 having a golden censer ; and there was given unto 
 him much incense, that he should offer it with the 
 prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was 
 before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, 
 which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended 
 up before God, out of the angel's hand. 
 
 Rev. viii. 3, 4. 
 
1 5 1032 
 
 Prapers of tl)c $ 
 
 BEING 
 
 A Manual of Devotions Compiled from 
 
 the Supplications of the Holy Saints 
 
 and Blessed Martyrs and 
 
 Famous Men 
 
 BY 
 
 CECIL HEADLAM, B.A. Oxon. 
 
 LONDON 
 F. E. ROBINSON 
 
 20 GREAT RUSSELL STREET, BLOOMSBURY 
 1898 
 
Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson &• Co. 
 At the Ballantyne Press 
 
PREFACE 
 
 Scattered up and down the works of the 
 early Fathers, in the records of the Hves of the 
 Saints, and in our own Literature, there are to 
 be found many beautiful and touching prayers. 
 Composed in the study of the scholar, in the 
 calm devotion of cloisteral soHtude, or amidst 
 the dust and heat of public affairs ; wrung from 
 the tortured soul of the confessing penitent, or 
 bursting from the happy lips of martyrs at the 
 stake, these prayers of men so various and 
 sincere have all, it seemed to me, their value, as 
 the outpourings of faithful followers of Christ 
 and members of His suffering or triumphant 
 Church. Some of these, therefore, I have col- 
 lected and translated here, in the hope that they 
 may be read and used by others not without 
 some of the profit and interest which I have 
 myself derived from making the collection. 
 Had there been more time and more space at 
 
VI 
 
 preface 
 
 my disposal, this book might doubtless have 
 been much enlarged and improved. As it is, I 
 earnestly hope that its omissions will be found 
 to be its chief defect, and that nothing here 
 included will give any occasion for offence. 
 
 4 Smith Square, 
 
 Westminster, 
 
 5. Patrick's Day, 1898. 
 
The following are among the chief sources from 
 which I have translated or copied the prayers in 
 this book : — 
 
 Migne's Patrologiee Cursus Completus (contain- 
 ing the works of the early Fathers in Greek 
 or Latin). 
 
 Acta Sanctorum : the vast treasury of material 
 in Latin and Greek collected by the Bolland- 
 ists. 
 
 Lives of the Saints, by Baring-Gould. 
 
 Brett's Collection of Early Liturgies. 
 
 Gelasian Sacramentary (H. A. Wilson). 
 
 Imitatio Christi. 
 
 Abp. Laud's Devotions. 
 
 Eikon Basilike. 
 
 Abp. Tillotson's Works. 
 
 Bright's Ancient Collects. 
 
 Spincke's Devotions. 
 
 Dr. Johnson's Works. 
 
 Dean Swift's Works, 
 
Vlll 
 
 Francis Bacon's Works. 
 
 No Cross, No Crown. Wm. Penn. 
 
 Memoirs of Sir Richard Steele. Montgomery. 
 
 Dr. Donne's Works. 
 
 Bp. Jeremy Taylor. Holy Living and Dying. 
 
 Sir Thomas More (Life). 
 
 Private Prayers. Pusey. 
 
 Brightman. Eastern Liturgies. 
 
 Bp. Wilson. Sacra Privata. 
 
 Bp. Andrewes. Devotions. 
 
^raj)nsi of ti)e faints 
 
 Jan, I 
 
 NEW YEARNS DAY 
 
 LMIGHTY GOD, by Whose mercy I 
 am permitted to behold the beginning 
 of another year, succour with Thy help 
 and bless with Thy favour, the creature 
 whom Thou vouchsafest to preserve. Mitigate, 
 if it shall seem best unto Thee, the diseases of 
 my body and compose the disorders of my mind. 
 Dispel my terrors, and grant that the time 
 which Thou shalt yet allow me, may not pass 
 unprofitably away. Let not pleasure seduce me, 
 idleness lull me, or misery depress me. Let me 
 perform to Thy glory, and the good of my 
 fellow-creatures, the work which Thou shalt 
 yet appoint me, and grant that as I draw nearer 
 to my dissolution, I may, by the help of Thy 
 Holy Spirit, feel my knowledge of Thee in- 
 creased, my hope exalted, my faith strengthened: 
 that when the hour which is coming, shall come, 
 I may pass by a holy death to everlasting 
 
^raytrs of tftt Sbaitxts 
 
 happiness, for the sake of Jesus Christ our 
 Lord.* Amen, 
 
 Jan. s 
 
 S. SIMEON STYLITES, H* 
 
 Prayer for his Mother 
 
 ORD GOD of virtues, Guide of the 
 wayward, Who sittest above the Cheru- 
 bim and searchest the foundations of the 
 abyss, Who knewest Adam before he was ; Who 
 hast promised the riches of the Kingdom of 
 Heaven to those who love Thee ; Who didst 
 speak to Moses out of the burning bush ; Who 
 blessedst Abraham, our Father 3 Who bringest 
 to Paradise the souls of the just and sinkest the 
 souls of the ungodly in perdition ; Who didst 
 humble the lions before Daniel and mitigate for 
 the three Children the strong fire of the Chal- 
 dees ; Who didst nourish Elijah by the ravens 
 which brought him food and restored to life 
 Lazarus on the fourth day, receive my mother's 
 soul in peace, and put her in the place of the 
 holy fathers, for Thine is the power for ever and 
 ever. Amen, 
 
 * Dr. Johnson. 
 
 Oe 
 
prayers of tftc ^amts 
 
 Jan. lo 
 
 WILLIAM LAUD, Abp. M, 
 
 Resignation of Myself 
 
 LORD JESUS, give me to do what Thou 
 commandest, and command what Thou 
 wilt. Prepare my soul against Thy coming 
 and come when Thou wilt. Give me, if it please 
 Thee, a most serene patience, but at least as 
 much as is sufficient for me, and come how Thou 
 wilt, O Thou that art the Saviour of all that 
 hope in Thee. And moreover I beseech Thee, 
 O Lord Jesus, interpose Thy death, cross, passion, 
 merit, and blood between Thy judgment and my 
 soul, now and ever, and especially in the hour of 
 my death. Which death I earnestly beg may 
 never be sudden, may it never come and find me 
 unprepared \ and when it comes, never let it 
 rage so, but that I may retain faith, hope, and 
 charity, a sound memory and understanding even 
 to the last gasp. And be Thou my defender, O 
 God. Grant mercy and pardon to my sins, to 
 Thy Chui' h peace and concord, to me, the chief 
 of sinners, grace in this life, and glory in the life 
 to come. So, even so, come, O Lord Jesus, and 
 have mercy upon me. Amen. 
 
 ^ 
 
^taB^rs of tfte Sbaints 
 
 Jan. 10 
 
 On the Anniversaries of the Deaths of 
 his Father and Mother 
 
 O Eternal God and merciful Father, with 
 whom do rest the souls of them that die in Thy 
 faith and favour, have mercy upon me, and grant 
 that my life may be a preparation to die, and 
 my death an entrance to life with Thee. As 
 upon this day it pleased Thee to take my dear 
 father to Thy mercy, when I was yet young. 
 O Lord, he was Thy servant. Thy meek, humble, 
 faithful servant ; and I assure myself he is in 
 rest, and light, and blessedness. Lord, while I 
 am here behind in my pilgrimage, shower down 
 Thy grace upon me. Thou hast been more 
 than a father to me ; Thou hast not suffered me 
 to want a father \ no, not when Thou hadst 
 taken him from me. O be pleased to be a father 
 still, and by Thy grace to keep me within the 
 bounds of a son's obedience. Thou hast given 
 me temporal blessings beyond desert or hope ; O 
 be graciously pleased to heap spiritual blessings 
 on me, that I may grow in faith, obedience, and 
 thankfulness to Thee \ that I may make it my 
 joy to perform duty to Thee. And after my 
 painful life is ended, bring me, I beseech Thee, 
 to Thy joys, to Thy glory, to Thyself ; that I 
 and my parents, with all Thy saints and servants 
 departed this life, may meet in a blessed glorious 
 resurrection, ever to sing praises and honour to 
 
^vnijers of tfie S^aints 
 
 Thee, in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 Amen. 
 
 %H 
 
 S. HILARY, B,D. 
 
 7^«. j^s 
 
 LORD, I pray Thee let not my weakness 
 distract me, but let my speech be of that 
 alone in which the salvation of my soul 
 consists; and let me never break forth to that 
 degree both of folly and wickedness, as to wish 
 to be a judge of Thy omnipotence, and of Thy 
 sacraments ; and suffer me not to exalt my weak 
 opinion above either the divine determination 
 of Thy infinity, or that belief of Thy eternity 
 which has been revealed to me. Amen, 
 
 S. KENTIGERN, B. 
 
 AY the will of God be wrought in all of 
 us, and let Him do unto us all as seemeth 
 Him best, according to His perfect 
 knowledge. 
 
^ragm of tit Saints 
 
 Jan. 21 
 
 S. AGNES, V»M. 
 
 Prayer at the Stake 
 
 LORD GOD, Father of Our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, I give Thee thanks for that, 
 through Thine Only Begotten Son, I 
 have escaped the threats of impious men, and 
 passed with unsulHed footstep over the filthy 
 slough of the devil. 
 
 And behold now through the Holy Ghost I 
 am sprinkled with heavenly dew ; the furnace 
 grows cold at my side, and the flame is divided 
 asunder, and the heat of the fire is poured back 
 on to those by whom it was kindled. I bless 
 Thee, O Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, who 
 permittest me to come to Thee, undaunted even 
 in the midst of flames. Lo ! now what I have 
 believed that I see ; what I have hoped, that I 
 now hold ; what I have desired, that I embrace. 
 Thee I confess with my lips ; with my heart 
 and all my being I desire Thee. Behold, I 
 come to Thee, the one and true God, who with 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son, and with the 
 Holy Ghost, livest and reignest through all 
 eternity. Amen. 
 
^taytrs of tjc 5b<ttnts 
 
 Jan. 22 
 
 S. VINCENT, M, 
 
 VERLASTING GOD, to whom all 
 hidden things are revealed, who didst send 
 into the world Thine Only Begotten Son, 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, conceived through the 
 Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, that He 
 might take on Him the punishment of our sins, 
 and by His resurrection snatch us from the gates 
 of hell, grant to our hearts such steadfastness of 
 faith that confessing Christ, Thy Son, we may 
 not perish but may be joined to Him in the confes- 
 sion of Thy Holy Name. A?ncn. 
 
 Jan. 2S 
 
 THE CONVERSION OF S. PAUL 
 
 Collect I 
 
 GOD, who, through the preaching of the 
 blessed Apostle Saint Paul, hast caused the 
 light of the Gospel toshinethroughout the 
 world; grant, we beseech thee,that we, having his 
 wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show 
 forth our thankfulness unto Thee for the same, 
 by following the holy doctrine which he taught; 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
^ragers of tftc gbamts 
 
 Jan, 2S 
 
 Collect II 
 
 O God, Who hast made the light of Thy 
 Gospel to shine through the world by the 
 preaching of Thy blessed Apostle St. Paul, whose 
 miraculous conversion we now thankfully com- 
 memorate ; send forth Thy light into my heart, 
 that I may always keep in mind, and diligently 
 practise the doctrines he taught, resolutely follow 
 his example, and being faithful unto death, at 
 last receive a crown of life and glory. Give 
 also unto all who are misled by error, or seduced 
 by vice. Thy converting grace, that by Thy 
 heavenly light their blindness may be removed, 
 and their weakness cured, through Jesus Christ, 
 our only Lord and Saviour. Amen. 
 
 Jan. 2S 
 
 PRAYERS OF S. PAUL 
 
 HEREFORE I also, after I heard of your 
 faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all 
 the saints, cease not to give thanks for 
 you, making mention of you in my prayers ; that 
 the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of 
 Glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom, 
 and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the 
 
prayers of tfic faints 
 
 eyes of your understanding being enlightened, 
 that ye may know what is the hope of His 
 calling, and what the riches of the glory of His 
 inheritance in the saints, and what is the ex- 
 ceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who 
 believe, according to the working of His mighty 
 power, which He wrought in Christ, when He 
 raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His 
 own right hand in the heavenly places. 
 
 For this cause I bow my knees unto the 
 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the 
 whole family in heaven and earth is named, that 
 he would grant you, according to the riches of 
 His glory, to be strengthened with might by His 
 Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell 
 in your hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and 
 grounded in love, may be able to comprehend 
 with all saints what is the breadth and length 
 and depth and height, and to know the love of 
 Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye might 
 be fitted with all the fulness of God. 
 
 Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding 
 abundantly above all that we ask or think, 
 according to the power that worketh in us, unto 
 Him be glory in the Church, by Christ Jesus, 
 throughout all ages, world without end.* A?nen, 
 
 * Epistle to the Ephesians. 
 
10 ^ragcrs of tjie Quints 
 
 II 
 
 And this I pray, that your love may abound 
 yet more and more in knowledge and all judgment, 
 that ye may approve things that are excellent, 
 that ye may be sincere, and without offence till 
 the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of 
 righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto 
 the glory and praise of God.* 
 
 ^ 
 
 III 
 
 For this cause we also cease not to pray for 
 you, and to desire that ye might be filled with 
 the knowledge of His Will in all wisdom and 
 spiritual understanding ; that ye might walk 
 worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being 
 fruitful in every good work and increasing in 
 the knowledge of God, strengthened with all 
 might according to his glorious power, unto all 
 patience and longsuffering with joyfulness, giving 
 thanks unto the Father, which hath made us 
 meet to be partakers of the saints in light, who 
 hath delivered us from the power of darkness, 
 and hath translated us unto the kingdom of His 
 dear Son, in whom we have redemption through 
 His Blood, even the forgiveness of sins. 
 
 * Epistle to the Philippians. 
 
^ragcrs of tftc faints 1 1 
 
 Now unto God, your Father, be glory for 
 ever and ever.* Amen. 
 
 'Ja7i, 26 
 
 THE PRAYER OF S, POLYCARP 
 AT HIS MARTYRDOM 
 
 FATHER of Thy well-beloved and 
 blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom 
 wehaveknownTheej O God of the Angels 
 and powers and of every living creature, and of 
 all sorts of just men which live in Thy presence, 
 I thank Thee that Thou hast graciously vouch- 
 safed this day and this hour to allot me a portion 
 among the number of martyrs, among the people 
 of Christ unto the resurrection of the everlasting 
 life, both of body and soul, in the incorruption 
 of the Holy Ghost ; among whom I shall be 
 received in Thy sight this day, as a fruitful and 
 acceptable sacrifice, as Thou hast heretofore 
 prepared, often revealed and now fulfilled, most 
 faithful God who canst not He. Wherefore for 
 all things I praise Thee, I bless Thee, I glorify 
 Thee, through the everlasting High Priest, Jesus 
 Christ, Thy well-beloved Son, to whom with 
 Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all glory, world 
 without end. Afnen. 
 
 * Epistle to the Colossians. 
 
12 drapers of tftc faints 
 
 Jan. 27 
 
 S, JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, B. 
 
 I 
 
 LMIGHTY GOD, who hast given us 
 grace at this time to make our common 
 suppHcations unto Thee ; and dost promise 
 that when two or three are gathered together in 
 Thy name Thou wilt grant their requests: fulfil 
 now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of Thy ser- 
 vants, as may be most expedient for them, grant- 
 ing us in this world knowledge of Thy truth, and 
 in the world to come, life everlasting. Amen. 
 
 %^ 
 
 II 
 
 Remember, O Lord, this city wherein we 
 dwell and every other city and country, and all 
 the faithful who dwell in them. Remember, O 
 Lord, all who travel by land or water, all that 
 labour under sickness or slavery ; remember 
 them for health and safety. Remember, O 
 Lord, those in Thy Holy Church who bring 
 forth good fruit, are rich in good works and 
 forget not the poor. Grant unto us all Thy 
 mercy and loving-kindness, and grant that we 
 may with one mouth and one heart praise and 
 glorify Thy great and glorious name, Father, 
 
^ragers of tjc Sbnnits 13 
 
 Son, and Holy Ghost, now, henceforth, and for 
 ever. Amen, 
 
 Jan. 30 
 
 KING CHARLES THE MARTYR 
 
 Collect 
 
 LMIGHTY AND EVERLASTING 
 
 GOD, whose righteousness is Hke the 
 strong mountains, and Thy judgments Hke 
 the great deep 3 teach us so to number our days, 
 that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 
 
 And grant that neither the splendour of any- 
 thing that is great, nor the conceit of anything 
 that is good in us, may withdraw our eyes from 
 looking upon ourselves as sinful dust and ashes 5 
 but that we may press forward to the prize of 
 the hio-h callino- that is before us, in faith and 
 patience, humility and meekness, mortification 
 and self-denial, charity and constant perseverance 
 unto the end. And all this for Thy Son, our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, His sake : to whom with 
 Thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and 
 glory, world without end. Amen. 
 
 ^ 
 
14 ^ragns of tit ^amts 
 
 Prayers of King Charles in the Time 
 of his Suffering 
 
 Almighty and most merciful Father, look 
 down upon me, Thy unworthy servant, who 
 here prostrate myself at the footstool of Thy 
 throne of grace ; but look upon me, O Father, 
 through the mediations and the merits of Jesus 
 Christ, in whom Thou art only well pleased ; 
 for of myself I am not worthy to stand before 
 Thee, or to speak with my unclean lips to Thee, 
 most holy and eternal God : for as in sin I was 
 conceived and born, so likewise I have broken all 
 Thy Commandments by my sinful motions, 
 unclean thoughts, evil words, and wicked works ; 
 omitting many duties I ought to do, and com- 
 mitting many vices which Thou hast forbidden 
 under pain of Thy heavy displeasure. 
 
 As for my sins, O Lord, they are innumerable ; 
 wherefore I stand here liable to all the miseries 
 in this life, and everlasting torments in the world 
 to come, if Thou shouldst deal with me accord- 
 ing to my deserts. I confess, O Lord, that it is 
 Thy mercy (which endureth for ever) and Thy 
 compassion (which never fails) which is the 
 cause that I have not long ago been consumed ; 
 but with Thee there is mercy and plenteous re- 
 demption ; in the multitude, therefore, of Thy 
 mercies, and by the merits of Jesus Christ, I 
 entreat Thy Divine Majesty that Thou wouldst 
 not enter into judgment with Thy servant, nor 
 
^raijtrs of tfic faints 15 
 
 be extreme to mark what is done amiss ; but 
 be Thou merciful unto me, and wash away all 
 my sins with that Precious Blood my Saviour 
 shed for me. And I beseech Thee, O Lord, 
 not only to wash away all my sins, but also to 
 purge my heart by Thy Holy Spirit from the 
 dross of my natural corruption ; and as Thou 
 dost add days to my life, so, good Lord, I beseech 
 Thee to add repentance to my days, that when I 
 have past this mortal life, I may be partaker of 
 Thy everlasting kingdom, through the merits of 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. A?nen. 
 
 ^ 
 
 O MOST merciful Father, though my sins are 
 so grievous that I may rather expect the effects 
 of Thy anger than so great a deliverance as to 
 free me from my present great danger, yet, O 
 Lord, since Thy mercies are over all Thy works, 
 and Thou never failest to relieve all those who 
 with humble and unfeigned repentance come to 
 Thee for succour, it were to multiply not to 
 diminish my transgressions to despair of Thy 
 heavenly favour ; wherefore I humbly desire 
 Th}^ divine majesty that Thou wilt not only 
 pardon all my sins but also free me out of the 
 hands and protect me from the malice of my 
 cruel enemies. But if Thy wroth against my 
 heinous offences will not otherwise be satisfied 
 than by suffering me to fall under my present 
 
1 6 ^ragm of tfte faints 
 
 afflictions, Thy will be done. Yet with humble 
 importunity I do and shall never cease to implore 
 the assistance of Thy heavenly spirit, that my 
 cause, as I am Thy viceregent, may not suffer 
 through my weakness or want of courage. O 
 Lord, so strengthen and enlighten all the 
 faculties of my mind, that with clearness I may 
 show forth Thy truth, and manfully endure this 
 bloody trial : that so my sufferings here may not 
 only glorify Thee, but likewise be a furtherance 
 to my salvation hereafter. Grant this, O mer- 
 ciful Father, for His sake who suffered for me, 
 even Jesus Christ the righteous. Amen. 
 
 Feb. I 
 
 S. IGNATIUS, B.M. 
 To the Church at Rome 
 
 SK for me this only in your prayers, that 
 strength may be given me of the Lord 
 that I may not be called but proved to be 
 a Christian. Then shall I be seen to be faith- 
 ful when the world no longer sees me. For 
 nothing that appeareth is eternal. For the things 
 which are perceived are temporal, but the things 
 which are not seen are eternal. I write to the 
 Churches and charge you all that willingly I die 
 for Christ, if you prevent me not. I ask of you 
 that your love for me be not untimely \ allow 
 
^tagcrs of tfic faints 17 
 
 me to be devoured of wild beasts, through whom 
 I may attain unto God. I am the grain of God 
 ground between the teeth of wild beasts, that I 
 may be found to be the pure bread of Christ. 
 Then indeed shall I be the true disciple of Christ 
 when the world shall no longer behold my body. 
 Beseech Christ on my behalf that through these 
 means I may be found a perfect sacrifice. Not 
 as Peter and Paul do I command you. They 
 were apostles, I am the least of them j they were 
 free, but I am a slave even unto this day, but, if 
 you wish, I shall be the freedman of Jesus Christ, 
 and in Him I shall rise again and be free. Amen. 
 
 Feb. 2 
 
 THE PURIFICATION OF THE 
 BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 
 
 Collect I 
 
 ^^PLMIGHTY and everlasting God, we 
 ' humbly beseech Thy Majesty, that, as 
 
 Thine only begotten Son was this day 
 presented in the temple in substance of our 
 flesh, so we may be presented unto Thee with 
 pure and clean hearts, by the same Thy Son 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 ^ 
 
^ragcrs of fte ^amts 
 
 Collect II 
 
 O God, whose blessed Son, to fulfil all 
 righteousness, was presented, as at this time, in 
 the temple to be redeemed according to the law ; 
 give me grace to adore and praise His wonderful 
 condescension, and by this great example, to 
 learn the duty of submitting to Thy wise and 
 holy discipline, though sometimes perhaps it may 
 seem unnecessary for me j and grant that not 
 only by a constant attendance on the public in- 
 stitutions of religion, but an exemplary and holy 
 life and conversation, I may glorify my Blessed 
 Saviour, the light of the Gentiles and the glory 
 of Thy people Israel, who with Thee and the 
 Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, one God, world 
 without end. Amen. 
 
 %M 
 
 The Prayer of Simeon 
 
 Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart 
 in peace, according to Thy word ; for mine eyes 
 have seen Thy salvation ; which Thou hast 
 prepared before the face of all people ; a light to 
 lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy 
 people Israel.* 
 
 * Luke ii. 29. 
 
^taijcvs of tljc faints 
 
 19 
 
 Feb. 3 
 
 PRAYER OF S. ANSKAR 
 
 INE miracle, if I were worthy, would I ask 
 the Lord to grant me, that by His grace 
 and infinite mercy. He should make of 
 
 me, the miserable sinner, a good and holy 
 
 man. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Feb. 5 
 
 S. AGATHA, M. 
 
 Dying Prayer 
 
 LORD my creator, who didst guard me 
 in my childhood and cause me to grow to 
 years of maidenhood; who hast taken from 
 me the love of this world and kept my body from 
 defilement ; who hast made me to conquer the 
 torments of the persecutor, even steel, fire and 
 chains ; who hast granted me the virtue of 
 patience amid my torturers ; I pray Thee now 
 to receive my spirit, for the time is come when 
 Thou biddest me to leave this world, and to seek 
 Thy mercy, O Lord. 
 
 or 
 
20 ^ragm of t^e faints 
 
 S- ETHELWOLD, B. 
 
 E beseech Thee, Lord, open Thy heavens, 
 open our eyes ; from thence may Thy gifts 
 descend to us ; from hence may our hearts 
 look back to Thee. May Thy throne be laid 
 open to us, while we receive the benefits which 
 we implore ; may our mind be laid open to Thee, 
 while we render the service which is enjoined to 
 us. Look down from Heaven, O Lord, behold 
 and visit this vine which Thy right hand hath 
 planted. Strengthen the weak, relieve the con- 
 trite, confirm the strong. Build them up in love, 
 cleanse them with purity, enlighten them with 
 wisdom, keep them with mercy. Lord Jesus, 
 Good Shepherd, who didst lay down Thy life for 
 the sheep, defend the purchase of Thy blood. 
 Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, seek 
 for the lost, convert the wandering, bind up that 
 which is broken. Put forth Thine own hand 
 from Heaven, and touch the head of each one 
 here. May they feel the touch of Thy hand, 
 and receive the joy of the Holy Spirit, that they 
 may remain blessed for evermore. Amen. 
 
 \H 
 
^rnjjcvs of tijc faints 21 
 
 Feb. 12 
 
 PRAYER OF ST. EULALIA, V.M. 
 IN HER AGONY 
 
 |ORD JESUS CHRIST, hear my prayer 
 and perfect Thy merciful goodness in me, 
 and grant me to be received among the 
 number of Thine elect into the rest of life 
 eternal, making of me a sign of righteousness 
 that men believing on Thee may behold and 
 praise Thy power. Amen. 
 
 Feb. ly 
 S. CiEDMON 
 
 ET us now praise the Guardian of the 
 Kingdom of Heaven and the might of 
 the Creator,and the thought of His Mind, 
 glorious Father of men ; for He, Lord Eternal, 
 did frame the beginning of every marvellous 
 thing. He first made the heavens as a roof for 
 the children of men, God, the Creator ! Then 
 the mid-earth did the eternal Lord, the Guardian 
 of men, therewith provide, and earth for men, 
 the Lord God Almighty ! * 
 
 * The 'first outpourings of our earliest poet. 
 " The man was placed in worldly life until the 
 time that he was of mature age, and had never 
 
22 ^ragers of l^e faints 
 
 Feb. 24 
 
 S- MATTHIAS, A,M. 
 Collect 
 
 ALMIGHTY GOD, who into the 
 place of the traitor Judas didst choose thy 
 faithful servant Matthias to be of the 
 number of the twelve Apostles ; grant that 
 
 learned any poem, and often therefore in con- 
 vivial society, w^here, for the sake of mirth, it was 
 resolved that they all should sing in turn to the 
 harp, when he saw the harp approaching him, then 
 from shame he would rise from the assembly and go 
 home to his house. When he had done so on a 
 certain occasion, and had left the convivial meeting 
 and gone out to the cattle byre, the care of which 
 that night had been committed to him, when he 
 there, at a proper time, placed his limbs on the bed 
 and slept, then there stood a certain man by him 
 in a dream and hailed and greeted him, named him 
 by his name, saying ' Csdmon, sing me something'; 
 then he answered and said, 'I cannot sing anything, 
 and therefore I went out from this convivial meeting 
 and retired hither, because I could not.' Again he 
 who was speaking with him said, ' Yet thou must 
 sing to me.' He said, ' What shall I sing?' He said, 
 ' Sing me the origin of things.' When he received 
 this answer, then he began forthwith to sing in 
 praise of God the Creator these verses and words 
 which he had never heard . . ." — Bede, " Eccles. 
 History," after Thorpe's Translation. 
 
^taycrs of tibe faints 23 
 
 Thy Church, being always preserved from false 
 Apostles, may be ordered and guided by faith- 
 ful and true pastors ; through Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. Amen, 
 
 March I 
 
 S, DAVID 
 
 LORD, raise me up after Thee ! 
 
 March 2 
 
 S* CHAD, Abp. 
 
 (Being Warned of his approaching Death, 
 informs some of the Brethren) 
 
 I^^IHAT beloved Guest v^ho w^as v^^ont to visit 
 l^^l our brethren has deigned to come to me 
 also this day and to summon me from the 
 vv^orld. Wherefore turn your steps to the church 
 and bid the brethren to commend in their prayers 
 my going hence to God, and to remember to 
 prepare for their own departure, the hour of 
 which is yet uncertain, by watching and by 
 praying and by good works. 
 
 ^ 
 
24 ^ragtts of iit Samts 
 
 Man/:) y 
 
 S. THOMAS AQUINAS 
 Daily Prayer 
 
 RANT me, I beseech Thee, O merciful 
 God, prudently to study, rightly to 
 understand, and perfectly to fulfil that 
 which is pleasing to Thee, to the praise and 
 glory of Thy Name. 
 
 Thou, O Christ, art the King of Glory \ 
 Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father. 
 
 March 7 
 
 s* perpet.ua, m. 
 
 RANT, O Lord, that we may stand fast 
 in our faith, and that we may love one 
 another, and that we may not be troubled 
 by our passions. 
 
 O Lord, let our confession of Thee be not 
 without fruit, that we may be deemed worthy 
 to be numbered in Thy precious flock, and not 
 to be separated from the holy army of Thy 
 Martyrs. Amen. 
 
33raiicvs of i\)t ^amts 25 
 
 March 12 
 
 S, GREGORY THE GREAT, B.C 
 I 
 
 GOD, Whose Nature and Property is ever 
 to have mercy and to forgive, receive our 
 humble petitions; and though vi^e be tied 
 and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let 
 the pitifulness of Thy great mercy loose us ; for 
 the honour of Jesus Christ, our Mediator, and 
 Advocate. A?nen. 
 
 II 
 
 Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings with 
 Thy most gracious favour, and further us with 
 Thy continual help, that in all our works begun, 
 continued and ended in Thee, we may glorify 
 Thy Holy Name, and finally by Thy mercy 
 obtain everlasting Life, through Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. A?nen. 
 
26 ^raym of iljt faints 
 
 Marc/) I'j 
 
 PRAYER OF S. PATRICK 
 
 (Bishop of Ireland) 
 
 PRAY God that He may grant me per- 
 severance and that he may deem me 
 worthy to show myself a faithful witness 
 unto Him, till I go hence for the sake of my God. 
 And if I have ever done, in imitation of Him, 
 any good thing, for the sake of my God whom I 
 love, I beseech Him to grant me that, in common 
 with those who have believed on Him and been 
 made prisoners for His Name's sake, I may shed 
 my blood for Him, even though my body lack 
 burial, and be grievously cut in pieces, and thrown 
 to the birds and beasts of prey for them to 
 devour it. 
 
 For most certainly I think, if this trouble me, 
 that in losing my life I have gained my soul ; for 
 without doubt we shall rise on that day in the 
 brightness of the sun, that is, in the glory of 
 Jesus Christ we shall all be redeemed as sons of 
 God, and co-heirs with Christ, and creatures 
 made in His very image, since from Him and 
 through Him, and in Him, are all things, and to 
 Him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 %^ 
 
prayers of ftc ^nints 27 
 
 March 18 
 
 S. CYRIL, B* 
 
 GOD of love, O giver of concord, who 
 hast given one counsel for our profit, with 
 a new commandment, through Thine only- 
 begotten Son, that we should love one another, 
 even as Thou didst love us, the unworthy and 
 the wandering, and gavest Thy beloved Son for 
 our life and salvation \ we pray Thee, Lord, 
 give to us Thy servants, in all time of our life 
 on the earth (but especially and pre-eminently 
 now), a mind forgetful of past ill-will, a pure 
 conscience and sincere thoughts, and a heart to 
 love our brethren. 
 
 II 
 
 Be mindful, O Lord, of the peace of Thy one 
 holy catholic and apostolic church, which is 
 spread over the face of the whole earth. Be 
 mindful, O Lord, of all Thy people, the flocks 
 of Thy fold. Send down from Heaven unto 
 our hearts that peace which the world cannot 
 give, but graciously bestow upon us, also, the 
 peace of this world. Guide in peace the king, 
 the armies, the magistrates and councillors, the 
 people, the neighbourhood, our coming in and 
 
28 ^tagm of tit ^amts 
 
 our going out. O King of Peace, grant us Thy 
 peace, for Thou hast given us all things. Be 
 our God, for we know none besides Thee. We 
 call upon Thy Holy Name. Grant unto our 
 souls, through Thy holy spirit, the life of 
 righteousness, that the death of sin may not pre- 
 vail against Thy servants or have dominion over 
 any of Thy people. Ainen, 
 
 March 21 
 
 S. BENEDICT (Abbot) 
 
 Prayer from the Preface to his Monastic 
 Rule 
 
 AY God grant that never straying from 
 the instruction of the Master, and per- 
 severing in His doctrine until death, we 
 may share by patience in the sufferings of Christ, 
 and be found worthy to share together His 
 kingdom. 
 
 March 22 
 
 ^ 
 
 S. BASIL, RM. 
 
 HRIST is my light, and Jesus is my hope, a 
 calm port in tempest. I give Thee thanks, 
 Lord God of my fathers, because Thou 
 hast saved my soul from the abyss. Keep Thy 
 
drapers of tf)c faints 29 
 
 Name inviolate in me, and make me an heir of 
 eternal rest, for the promise made unto my 
 fathers by the great High-priest, Jesus Christ our 
 Lord ; through whom 1 pray Thee receive my 
 spirit into peace, persevering in my confession ; 
 for Thou art merciful and long-suffering and full 
 of compassion ; who livest and reignest for ever 
 and ever. Amen. 
 
 March 25 
 
 THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE 
 BLESSED VIRGIN 
 
 Collect I 
 
 E beseech Thee, O Lord, pour Thy grace 
 into our hearts, that as we have known 
 the incarnation of Thy Son Jesus Christ, 
 by the message of an angel, so by His cross and 
 passion we may be brought into the glory of His 
 resurrection, through the same Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. Amen. 
 
 Collect II 
 
 O Eternal God, who didst manifest to Thy 
 humble handmaid Mary the incarnation of Thy 
 blessed Son by the message of an angel, and 
 didst so overshadow her with Thy glorious 
 
30 ^ragers of t]^c faints 
 
 power, that her virgin womb immediately con- 
 ceived the word, and vested Thine eternal Son 
 with our humanity ; grant me, I humbly beseech 
 Thee, with devout admiration to celebrate the 
 memory of this highest mystery, and to give all 
 thanks and praise to our great Redeemer, who 
 took human nature upon Him that we might be 
 partakers of the divine nature, and hath made us 
 kings and priests unto God and His father, to 
 Him be honour and glory, dominion and power, 
 now and for ever. Jmen. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Prayef 
 
 Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto 
 me according to Thy word. 
 
 My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit 
 hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Luh i. 
 
 EASTER WEEK 
 
 The Prayers of Our Lord Jesus Christ for 
 His Apostles and other Believers 
 
 [a'^jjATHER, the hour is come, glorify Thy 
 
 P.^3| Son that Thy Son also may glorify Thee ; 
 
 as Thou hast given Him power over all 
 
 flesh, that He shall give eternal life to as many 
 
prayers of tj)0 faints 31 
 
 as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, 
 that they might know Thee, the only true God, 
 and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent, I have 
 glorified Thee on the earth ; I have finished 
 the work which Thou gavest me to do. And 
 now, O Father, glorify Thou me with Thine 
 own self with the glory which I had with Thee 
 before the world was. I have manifested Thy 
 name unto the men which Thou gavest me 
 out of the world ; Thine they were and Thou 
 gavest them me ; and they have kept Thy word. 
 Now they have known that all things whatso- 
 ever Thou hast given me are of Thee. For I 
 have given unto them the words which Thou 
 gavest me ; and they have received them and 
 have known surely that I come out from Thee, 
 and they have beHeved that Thou didst send me. 
 1 pray for them ; I pray not for the world, but 
 for them which Thou hast given me j for they 
 are Thine. And all mine are Thine and Thine 
 are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now 
 I am no more in the world, but these are in the 
 world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep 
 through Thine own Name those whom Thou 
 hast given me, that they may be one as we are. 
 While I was with them in the world, I kept 
 them in Thy Name ; those that Thou gavest me 
 I have kept and none of them is lost, but the son 
 of perdition, that the scripture might be ful- 
 filled. 
 
 And now come I to Thee ; and these things 
 I speak in the world, that they might have my 
 
32 ^ragers of fte faints 
 
 joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them 
 Thy word ; and the world hath hated them, 
 because they are not of the world, even as I am 
 not of the world. I pray not that Thou 
 shouldest take them out of the world, but that 
 Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They 
 are not of the world, even as I am not of 
 the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth : 
 Thy word is truth. As Thou hast sent me into 
 the world, even so have I also sent them into the 
 world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, 
 that they also might be sanctified through the 
 truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for 
 those also which shall believe on me, through 
 their word. That they all might be one ; as 
 Thou, Father, art in me and I in Thee, that 
 they also may be one in us, that the world may 
 believe that Thou hast sent me. And the glory 
 which Thou gavest me, I have given them ; that 
 they may be one even as we are one ; I in them 
 and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect 
 in one and that the world may know that Thou 
 hast sent me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast 
 loved me. Father, I ask that they also, whom 
 Thou hast given me, be with me where I am ; 
 that they may behold my glory, which Thou hast 
 given me ; for Thou lovedst me before the 
 foundation of the world. O righteous Father, 
 the world hath not known Thee, but I have 
 known Thee, and these have known that Thou 
 hast sent me. And I have declared unto them 
 Thy Name and will declare it , that the love 
 
prayers of fte faints 33 
 
 wherewith Thou hast loved me may be in them 
 and I in them. 
 
 In the Garden of Gethsemane 
 
 O MY Father, if it be possible, let this cup 
 pass from me ; nevertheless, not as I will but as 
 Thou wilt. O my Father, if this cup may not 
 pass away from me, except I drink it. Thy will 
 be done. 
 
 From the Cross 
 
 Father, forgive them, for they know not what 
 they do. 
 
 THE DYING PRAYER OF 
 S. RICHARD, 
 
 Bishop of Chichester 
 
 ORD JESU CHRIST, I thank Thee for 
 all the blessings Thou hast given me, 
 and for all the sufferings and shame Thou 
 didst endure for me, on which account that 
 pitiable cry of sorrow was Thine : " Behold and 
 see, if there was any sorrow like unto My 
 
 c 
 
34 ^ragcrs of tfte faints 
 
 sorrow ! " Thou knowest, Lord, how wilHng 
 I should be to bear insult, and pain, and death 
 for Thee ; therefore have mercy on me, for to 
 Thee do I commend my spirit. Amen. 
 
 Jpril 4 
 
 S. AMBROSE, B, 
 
 I 
 
 LORD, my Saviour, in whose power it 
 is to remit sins, I beseech Thee say 
 unto me, " Loose thee from thy chains, 
 come out of the bonds of thy sins " ; and when 
 Thou sayest it, loose those cords of my errors 
 wherewith I am entangled and bound ; for, 
 though I am the most wicked of all men, and to 
 be abhorred by reason of my continuance in sins, 
 yet when thou commandest, I shall be free from 
 them. Amen. 
 
 II 
 
 Lord Jesus Christ, who didst stretch out 
 Thine hands on the Cross, and redeem us by 
 Thy Blood, forgive me, a sinner, for none of 
 my thoughts are hid from Thee. Pardon I ask, 
 pardon I hope for, pardon I trust to have. Thou 
 who art pitiful and merciful, spare and for- 
 give me. 
 
prayers of tfte Sbatnts 35 
 
 De Adventu Domini 
 
 Veni, Redemptor gentium, 
 Ostende partum Virginis ; 
 Miretur omne sasculum ; 
 Talis decet partus Deum. 
 
 Non ex virili semine, 
 Sed mystico spiramine, 
 Verbum Dei factum est caro, 
 Fructusque ventris floruit. 
 
 Alvus tumescit Virginis, 
 Claustrum pudoris permanet, 
 Vexilla virtutum micant, 
 Versatur in templo Deus. 
 
 Procedit e thalamo suo, 
 Pudoris aula regia, 
 Geminae Gigas substantia?, 
 Alacris ut currat viam. 
 
 Egressus ejus a Patre, 
 Regressus ejus ad Patrem, 
 Excursus usque ad inferos, 
 Recursus ad sedem Dei. 
 
 ^qualis aeterno Patri, 
 Carnis tropaso cingere, 
 Infirma nostri corporis 
 Virtute firmans perpeti. 
 
 April ^ 
 
36 ^ragcrs of ftc faints 
 
 Prassepe jam fulget tuum, 
 Lumenque nox spirat novum, 
 Quod nulla nox interpolet, 
 Fideque jugi luceat. 
 
 ^pril II 
 
 S. LEO THE GREAT 
 I 
 
 ORD, our God, great, eternal, wonderful 
 in glory, who keepest covenant and pro- 
 mises for those that love Thee with their 
 whole heart ; who art the life of all, the help of 
 those who flee unto Thee; the hope of those 
 who cry unto Thee ; cleanse us from our sins, 
 secret and open, and from every thought dis- 
 pleasing to Thy goodness — cleanse our bodies 
 and souls, our hearts and consciences, that with 
 a pure heart and a clean soul, with perfect love 
 and calm hope, we may venture confidently and 
 fearlessly to pray unto Thee.* 
 
 II 
 
 Almighty God, who showest to them that be 
 in error the light of Thy truth, to the intent 
 
 * Leonine Sacramentary (Bright). 
 
^rflijtrs of tl^c ^amts 37 
 
 that they may return into the way (of righteous- 
 ness) ; grant unto all them that are admitted 
 into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that they 
 may eschew those things that are contrary to 
 their profession, and follow all such things as 
 are agreeable to the same ; through our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. Amen. 
 
 III 
 
 Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that the 
 course of this world may be so peaceably ordered 
 by Thy governance, that Thy Church may 
 joyfully serve Thee in all godly quietness j 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Atnen. 
 
 S. ALPHEGE, Abp- (Canterbury) M, 
 Prayer whilst being Stoned to Death 
 
 LORD JESUS, only begotten Son of 
 
 the most High God, who didst come 
 
 into this world through the womb of the 
 
 immaculate Virgin, that Thou mightest save 
 
 sinners, receive me now into Thine eternal 
 
 peace and have mercy on these my destroyers. 
 
 O Thou, the good, the only Shepherd, 
 
38 ^ragtrs of fte S^aints 
 
 watch over, I beseech Thee, the sons of the 
 Church, which with my dying breath I com- 
 mend to Thy grace. 
 
 ^pril 21 
 
 S* ANSELM, Archbishop of Canterbutr 
 I 
 
 GOD whose pity is everlasting and whose 
 goodness infinite \ O God the founder 
 and restorer of all mankind, who cleansest 
 the hearts of those who acknowledge their fault 
 to Thee, and absolvest from the bondage of all 
 iniquity those who confess their sins before the 
 presence of Thy divine mercy j with groans and 
 supplications, I beseech Thee of Thy goodness 
 that according to the magnitude of Thy com- 
 passion Thou wilt grant me to make before 
 Thee a full confession of all the iniquities where- 
 of my conscience accuseth me, and that Thou 
 will inspire me with a true and worthy repent- 
 ance for all the wickedness which from time to 
 time I have committed, in vile thoughts, in evil 
 consent, in unholy purpose, in desire and sensual 
 delight, in idle words, in sinful deeds, in seeing, 
 hearing, tasting, smelling or touching. For 
 Thou, being merciful to work out the salvation 
 of my soul, hast given to me each sense suited 
 for its human purpose. But T, being the most 
 miserable sinner, have despised Thee, the lover 
 
^raijcrs of tje faints 39 
 
 of eternal salvation, and have consented unto him 
 who is preparing for me everlasting fire ; I have 
 slipped in the paths of sin, I have utterly fallen 
 in the ways of iniquity, I have erred in the use 
 of all my senses, and laid myself open to unholy 
 works. In recounting these things I do not 
 revile, O Lord, Thy creature in me, but, O most 
 merciful God, I beg a healing salve from Thee, 
 for I perceive that my offence is beyond measure, 
 and I know that, as the stars of heaven and the 
 sands of the sea are innumerable, so are my sins 
 without number. But do Thou, who desirest 
 not the death of a sinner, turn again and look 
 on me, and have mercy upon Thy miserable 
 
 servant. 
 
 ^ 
 
 II 
 
 Pardon, O Lord ; pardon, O loving Lord, 
 pardon and pity me ; spare mine ignorance, and 
 my great imperfection. Condemn me not as 
 presumptuous because I, Thy servant, venture — 
 and would that I were even a good servant, and 
 not rather an useless and bad, yea on that ground 
 a very bad one — because I venture without con- 
 trition of heart and fountain of tears, without 
 due reverence and trembling, to praise, and bless, 
 and adore Thee — our almighty and terrible God. 
 For if angels, when they adore and praise Thee, 
 tremble, being filled with wondrous exaltation. 
 
40 ^ragm of tit faints 
 
 why do not I, sinner as I am, when I stand 
 before Thee and sing Thy praise, and offer Thee 
 sacrifice, quiver in my heart, grow pale in coun- 
 tenance, tremble in my lips, shudder in my whole 
 body, and so with gushing tears weep before 
 Thee unceasingly ? I will, but I avail not; for 
 what I desire, that I cannot do. Hence, then, 
 am I exceedingly amazed at myself, while with 
 the eyes of faith I gaze upon Thee who art but 
 too terrible. 
 
 But who can do this without the help of Thy 
 grace ? For our whole salvation is Thy great 
 mercy. Ah ! wretched me, how hath my soul 
 been made thus insensate, that it is not frightened 
 with exceeding fear, while it standeth before 
 God and singeth to Him its praises ? Ah ! 
 wretched me, how hath my soul grown so hard, 
 that mine eyes pour not down streams of tears 
 unceasingly j while the servant speaketh before 
 his Lord, man with God, the creature with the 
 creator, he who was made with clay with Him 
 who made all things of nothing ? Behold ! O 
 Lord, I set myself before Thee and what in my 
 secret heart I perceive of myself, from Thy 
 fatherly ears I keep not back. Thou who art 
 rich in mercy and bounteous in gifts, give Thou 
 me of Thy good things, that with them I may 
 serve Thee ; for not from aught else can we 
 serve Thee or please Thee, save from Thy gift. 
 Pierce, I beseech Thee, my flesh with Thy fear, 
 let my heart rejoice to fear Thy name. O 
 that my sinful soul could so fear Thee, as did 
 
prayers of tfje faints 41 
 
 that holy man who said " Destruction from God 
 was a terror to me." 
 
 O thou giver of all good things, give me in 
 the midst of Thy praises the fount of tears, 
 together with purity of heart and rejoicing of 
 mind ; that perfectly loving Thee and worthily 
 praising Thee, with the very palate of my heart 
 I may feel and taste and see how sweet and 
 pleasant Thou art, O Lord, as it is written, " O 
 taste and see how gracious the Lord is, blessed 
 is the man that trusteth in Him." * 
 
 ^ 
 
 III 
 
 O God most loving, God merciful and pitiful, 
 be Thou merciful to our sins and whatsoever 
 sins we have committed, whether instigated by 
 the author of death or by our own free will, 
 reserve not Thou to Thy judgment to be searched 
 into ; but do Thou grant us Thy grace, and let 
 us rejoice in Thy pardon alone. 
 
 Have mercy, O Lord, upon us who cry unto 
 Thee. Let the voice of faith weeping to Thee 
 move Thy love ; and let that mercy, in which 
 alone we hope, not reckon what we have done 
 amiss, while it looketh upon what we ask. And 
 since great is our misery, that we are guilty, 
 
 * This and the following prayers of S. Anselm 
 translated by Pusey. 
 
42 prayers of tj^e faints 
 
 great is Thy pity that we are miserable. Sup- 
 pliant for Thy help, we set before Thee both 
 the evils of our crime and our griefs, and await 
 through prayer to Thee the mercy which by 
 sinning we drove away from us. Grant then, O 
 most loving Father, that what we have done we 
 may bewail ; and in Thy love deign to keep us 
 through all the periods of day and night free 
 from all attacks of evil. Grant to us, out of 
 Thy indulgence, to receive what we ask, since 
 Thou seest that we have no confidence in our 
 own righteousness. Lift us up, O Lord our 
 God, and lighten us in Thy mercy, that in the 
 communion of salvation and the joy of charity, 
 while we ourselves desire to be saved by Thy 
 gift, we may rejoice moreover in the faith and 
 peace of all nations. 
 
 IV 
 
 I KNOW, O Lord, Jesus Christ, I know and 
 confess that I am not worthy that Thou shouldest 
 love me ; but surely Thou art not unworthy 
 that I should love Thee. I am indeed unworthy 
 to serve Thee ; but Thou art not unworthy ot 
 the service of Thy creature. Make me, there- 
 fore, O Lord, in what way Thou wiliest, to cease 
 from sin, that so I may be able to serve Thee as 
 I ought. Vouchsafe by Thy most pitiful mercy 
 
prayers of tijc faints 43 
 
 so to keep, rule, and end my life, that I may 
 sleep in peace and may rest in Thee. Grant 
 me, O Lord, that in the end my soul may 
 receive sleep with rest, rest with full satiety, 
 satiety with eternity, through Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. Amen. 
 
 For his Friends 
 
 O SWEET and kind Lord Jesus Christ, who 
 didst show forth love than which no man hath 
 greater, and to which no man can have equal ; 
 who owedst nothing to death and yet didst lay 
 down Thy loving soul for Thy servants and 
 sinners ; and didst pray for Thy very murderers, 
 that Thou m.ightest make them Thy brethren 
 and righteous, and reconcile them to Thy 
 merciful Father and to Thyself, Thou, Lord, 
 who showedest so great love to Thine enemies. 
 Thou Thyself didst enjoin love to Thy friends. 
 O good Lord, with what affection shall I think 
 on Thine inestimable love ? What shall I pay 
 unto Thee for Thine immeasurable benefit ? 
 For the sweetness of Thy kindness transcendeth 
 every affection ; the greatness of Thy benefit 
 surpasseth all return. What return then shall I 
 make to my Creator and Re-Creator ? What 
 shall I repay to my Pityer and Redeemer ? 
 
44 ^ragtrs of tj)c Saints 
 
 " Lord Thou art my God, my goods are nothing 
 unto Thee," for "the earth is Thine and the 
 fulness thereof." What then shall I, poor and 
 a beggar, I a worm and ashes, what shall I repay 
 to my God, save that from my heart I obey His 
 command ? and Thy command is that " we love 
 one another." O good Man, good God, good 
 Lord, good Friend, good All, whatsoever Thou 
 art, this Thy command. Thine humble and 
 despicable servant desireth to obey. Thou 
 knowest. Lord, that the affection which Thou 
 commandest, I love. The love I cherish, the 
 charity I desire. This I beg : this I seek : for 
 this, this Thy poor beggar, knocketh and crieth 
 at the door of Thy mercy. And in so far as I 
 have already received the sweet alms of Thine 
 undeserved bounty, loving every man in Thee 
 and for Thee, though not so much as I ought, 
 nor so much as I long, for all I implore Thy 
 clemency. 
 
 There are many, however, for whom, as Thy 
 love has more specially and familiarly impressed 
 affection for them on my heart, so I more 
 ardently desire good, and more devoutly wish to 
 pray for them. Thy servant, O loving Lord, 
 longeth, yea longeth, to pray to Thee for his 
 friends, but Thy culprit is called back therefrom 
 by his sins. For I, who of myself cannot obtain 
 pardon for myself, with what face do I presume 
 to ask for Thy grace for others ? And I, who 
 anxiously seek intercessors for myself, with what 
 confidence do I intercede for others ? What 
 
^raijcrs of tftc faints 45 
 
 shall I do, O Lord my God, what shall I do ? 
 Thou biddest me pray for them, and mine 
 affection longeth to pray ; but while my con- 
 science crieth out to me to be anxious about 
 mine own sins, I tremble to speak in behalf of 
 others. Shall I then forego what Thou biddest, 
 because I have done what Thou forbiddest ? Nay, 
 rather because I have presumed to do what was 
 forbidden, I will embrace what is commanded ; 
 if perchance obedience may heal presumption, if 
 perchance charity cover the multitude of my 
 sins. 
 
 I pray Thee, then, O good and loving Lord, 
 for those who love me for Thee, and whom I 
 love in Thee ; and for those most devoutly, whose 
 love for me and my care for them Thou knowest 
 to be most sincere. And this I do not, O my 
 Lord, as a righteous man, secure as to mine own 
 sins ; but with what charity I may, anxious 
 about the sins of others. Love Thou them, 
 then, O thou fountain of love, who commandest 
 and givest to me to love them. And if my 
 prayer avail not to profit them, because it is 
 offered to Thee by a sinner, let it avail for them, 
 because it is made at Thy command. For 
 Thine own sake then. Thou author and giver 
 of charity, for Thy sake, not for mine, love Thou 
 them, and make them love Thee with all their 
 heart, with all their mind, with all their soul ; 
 that those things alone which are pleasing to 
 Thee and expedient for them, they may will and 
 speak and do. Too cold, O my Lord, too cold 
 
46 ^lagers of tf^t faints 
 
 is my prayer, because too little fervent is my 
 charity. But Thou that art rich in mercy, 
 measure not Thou to them Thy goodness by 
 the dulness of my devotion ; but as Thy kind- 
 ness passeth all human charity, so let Thine 
 hearing transcend the affection of my suppHca- 
 tion. Do Thou to them and with them w^hat is 
 expedient for them, according to Thy word ; that 
 they may always and everywhere be so ruled and 
 protected, that they may attain to a glorious and 
 everlasting security through Thee, who livest 
 and reignest, world without end. Amen, 
 
 Jprii 25 
 
 S. MARK, A,E.M, 
 
 Collect I 
 
 ALMIGHTY GOD, who hast instructed 
 Thy Holy Church with the Heavenly 
 doctrine of Thy Evangelist, Saint Mark ; 
 give us grace, that, being not like children 
 carried away with every blast of vain doctrine, 
 we may be established in the truth of Thy 
 holy Gospel ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 Aineyi. 
 
^tapers of t&e faints 47 
 
 From the (so-called) Liturgy of S» Mark 
 
 O God of Light, Father of Life, Author of 
 Grace, Creator of worlds. Founder of know- 
 ledge. Giver of wisdom. Treasure of Holiness, 
 Teacher of pure prayers. Benefactor of our 
 souls, who givest to the fainthearted, who put 
 their trust in Thee, those things into which 
 the Angels desire to look ; O sovereign Lord, 
 who hast brought us up from the depths 
 of darkness to light, who hast given us life 
 from death, who hast graciously bestowed upon 
 us freedom from slavery, who has scattered 
 the darkness of sin within us, do Thou now 
 also, through the visitation of Thy Holy Spirit, 
 enhghten the eyes of our understanding and 
 sanctify us wholly, in body, soul, and spirit, and 
 pardon all our sins in Thine abundant and un- 
 searchable goodness, through the grace, mercy, 
 and love of Thine only begotten Son, Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. 
 
 Visit, O Lord, and heal those who are sick, 
 according to Thy pity and compassion ; turn 
 from them and from us all sickness and diseases ; 
 restore them to, and confirm them in, their 
 strength ; raise up those who have lingered 
 under long and tedious indispositions ; succour 
 those who are vexed with unclean spirits. Re- 
 lieve those who are in any way afflicted j deliver 
 them all, for Thou art our God, who loosest 
 those who are in bonds, and raisest up those who 
 
48 ^ragm of i\}t faints 
 
 are oppressed ; the Hope of the hopeless, the 
 Helper of the helpless, the Lifter of those who 
 are fallen, the Haven of those who are ship- 
 wrecked, the Avenger of those who are injured. 
 Give Thy pity, pardon, and refreshment to 
 every Christian soul, whether in affliction or in 
 error. And, O Lord, Thou physician of soul 
 and body, heal all our infirmities, both of soul 
 and body. O Thou who art the overseer of all 
 flesh, watch over us and heal us by Thy saving 
 health. Be a guide at all times and in all places 
 to our brethren who are traveUing or about to 
 travel whether by land or by water, whatever 
 way they pursue their journey, bring them all 
 to a quiet and safe port. Be with them on 
 their voyages and on their road, and restore 
 them to their friends, and let them receive each 
 other in joy and health. Preserve us also, O 
 Lord, in our pilgrimage through this life, from 
 hurt and danger. Send rain out of Thy treasures 
 upon those places which stand in need of it ; 
 renew and make glad the face of the earth by its 
 descent, that bringing forth it may rejoice in the 
 drops thereof. Raise the waters of the rivers to 
 their just height, renew and make glad the face 
 of the earth by the ascent of them, water its 
 furrows and increase its produce. Bless, O 
 Lord, the fruits of the earth, and preserve them 
 incorrupt for our use, that we may sow and reap 
 from them. Bless, also, O Lord, and crown the 
 year with the riches of Thy goodness, for the 
 sake of the poor, the widow, the fatherless, and 
 
prayers of fte Saints 49 
 
 the stranger. For the sake of all of us who put 
 our trust in Thee, and call upon Thy Holy 
 Name ; for the eyes of all await upon Thee, 
 and Thou givest them meat in due season. O 
 Thou that givest food to all flesh, fill our hearts 
 with joy and gladness ; give us always what is 
 sufficient for the relief of our necessities, that we 
 may abound in every good work in Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. Amen. 
 
 May I 
 
 SS. PHILIP and JAMES, A.A., M,M, 
 Collect I 
 
 ALMIGHTY GOD, whom truly to 
 know is everlasting life ; grant us per- 
 fectly to know Thy Son Jesus Christ to 
 be the Way, the Truth, and the Life ; that 
 following the steps of Thy holy apostles. Saint 
 Philip and Saint James, we may steadfastly walk 
 in the way that leadeth to eternal life \ through 
 the same Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 Amen, 
 
 Collect II 
 
 O God, by whose grace the blessed Apostles 
 Philip and James watered with their blood the 
 
50 ^|rag0rs of tftc faints 
 
 heavenly seed which they had sown over the 
 world, teach me, by their examples, constancy in 
 suffering for the truth ; and let me not shrink 
 in that warfare which has been so triumphantly 
 undergone by men of like infirmities with my- 
 self; arm me with resolution to confess Thee 
 before men as they did, that neither profit may 
 engage, nor pleasure soften me into any sinful 
 compliance, nor any persecutions make me 
 stagger or fall from my steadfastness in the way 
 which leadeth to eternal life. Grant this, O 
 Lord, through the merits of Thy Son, Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. Amen, 
 
 May 2 
 
 Oft 
 
 S, ATHANASIUS, B. 
 
 THOU FATHER, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost, one God, who hast declared unto 
 us the unity of the Deity, and hast re- 
 vealed the undivided glory of the only ever- 
 blessed Divinity, and demonstrated the perfect 
 eternity of Thy Trinity ; grant me, I beseech 
 Thee, faith and obedience in this life, and glory 
 in the hfe to come, by and for the sake of Jesus 
 Christ our Redeemer. J?nen. 
 
 ^ 
 
^ragcrs of tfie faints 51 
 
 May 4 
 S. MONNICA Matron 
 
 Prayer of S. Augustine for his Mother 
 
 OW, with a heart cured of that wound, 
 wherein it might seem blameworthy for 
 an earthly feeling, I pour out unto Thee, 
 our God, in behalf of that Thy handmaid, a far 
 different kind of tears, flowing from a spirit 
 shaken by the thoughts of the dangers of every 
 soul that dieth in Adam. And although she, 
 having been quickened in Christ, even before 
 her release from the flesh, had lived to the praise 
 of Thy Name, for her faith and conversation ; 
 yet dare I not say that, from what time Thou 
 regeneratedst her by baptism, no word issued from 
 her mouth against Thy commandment. Thy 
 Son, the Truth, hath said, "Whosoever shall 
 say unto his brother, thou fool, shall be in danger 
 of hell fire." And woe be even unto the com- 
 mendable life of men if, laying aside mercy, 
 Thou shouldest examine it. But because Thou 
 art not extreme in inquiring after sins, we confi- 
 dently hope to find some place with Thee. But 
 whosoever reckons up his real merits to Thee, 
 what reckons he up to Thee but Thine own 
 gifts ? O that men would know themselves to 
 be men, and that he that glorieth would glory 
 in the Lord. 
 
 I therefore, O my praise and my life, God of 
 
52 ^tagm of fte Samts 
 
 my heart, laying aside for awhile her good deeds, 
 for which I give thanks to Thee with joy, do 
 now beseech Thee for the sins of my mother. 
 Hearken unto me, I beseech Thee, by the 
 Medicine of our wounds, who hung upon the 
 tree, and now, sitting at Thy right hand, maketh 
 intercession to Thee for us. I know that she 
 dealt mercifully, and from her heart forgave her 
 debtors their debts : do Thou also forgive her 
 debts, whatever she may have contracted in so 
 many years since the water of salvation. 
 
 Forgive her, Lord, forgive, I beseech Thee ; 
 enter not into judgment with her. Let Thy 
 mercy be exalted above Thy justice, since Thy 
 words are true, and Thou hast promised mercy 
 unto the merciful j which Thou gavest them to 
 be, who wilt have mercy on whom Thou wilt 
 have mercy ; and wilt have compassion on whom 
 Thou hast had compassion. 
 
 And I beheve Thou hast already done what I 
 ask J but accept, O Lord, the free-will offerings 
 of my mouth. For she, the day of her dissolu- 
 tion now at hand, took no thought to have her 
 body sumptuously bound up or embalmed with 
 spices ; nor desired she a choice monument or 
 to be buried in her own land. These things she 
 enjoined us not, but desired only to have her 
 name commemorated at Thy altar, which she 
 had served without intermission of one day ; 
 whence she knew that holy sacrifice to be dis- 
 pensed, by which the handwriting that was 
 against us is blotted out, through which the 
 
prayers of tfie Samts 53 
 
 enemy was triumphed over, who, summing up 
 our offences and seeking what to lay to our 
 charge, found nothing in Him in whom we 
 conquer. Who shall restore to Him the inno- 
 cent blood ? Who repay Him the price where- 
 with He bought us, and so take us from Him ? 
 Unto the Sacrament of which our ransom. Thy 
 handmaid bound her soul by the bond of faith. 
 Let none sever her from Thy protection, let 
 neither the lion nor the dragon interpose him- 
 self by force or fraud. For she will not answer 
 that she owes nothing, lest she be convicted and 
 seized by the crafty accuser ; but she will 
 answer that her sins are forgiven her by Him, 
 to whom none can repay that price, which He, 
 who owed nothing, paid for us. 
 
 May she rest then in peace with the husband, 
 before and after whom she had never any ; whom 
 she obeyed, with patience bringing forth fruit 
 unto Thee, that she might win him also unto 
 Thee. And inspire, O Lord my God, inspire 
 Thy servants my brethren. Thy sons my mas- 
 ters, whom with voice and heart and pen I 
 serve, that so many as shall read these confessions 
 may at Thy altar remember Monnica thy hand- 
 maid, with Patricius her sometime husband, by 
 whose bodies Thou broughtest me into life, how, 
 I know not. May they with devout affection 
 remember my parents in this transitory light, 
 my brethren under Thee our Father, in our 
 Catholic Mother, and my fellow citizens in that 
 eternal Jerusalem which Thy pilgrim people 
 
54 ^ragtrs of t^t ^amts 
 
 sigheth after from their Exodus, even unto their 
 return thither. That so, my mother's last re- 
 quest of me, may through my confessions, more 
 than through my prayers, be, through the 
 prayers of many, more abundantly fulfilled 
 to her.* 
 
 May 6 
 
 S, JOHN DAMASCENE, M.K.C 
 
 STAND before the doors of Thy temple, 
 O God, and yet I refrain not from pre- 
 sumptuous thoughts. But Thou, O 
 Lord Christ, who didst justify the puWican, pity 
 the Canaanitish woman, and didst open the gates 
 of paradise to the thief, open Thou for me the 
 bowels of Thy compassion, and receive me as I 
 come to Thee and touch Thee, even as the 
 woman with the bloody flux took hold of the 
 hem of Thy garment and was healed, and the 
 harlot touched Thine immaculate feet, and gained 
 the remission of her sins. 
 
 May I, a most miserable sinner who dared to 
 receive Thy whole body, may I not be utterly 
 consumed with fire, but do Thou receive me as 
 Thou didst receive them ; and lighten the dark- 
 ness of my soul, but consume with fire my bonds 
 of sin, through the might of God the Father, 
 and God the Holy Ghost, with whom, and 
 
 * The Confessions of St. Augustine. 
 
^raners of tf)c faints 55 
 
 through whom, Thou art for ever blessed and 
 glorified. Amen. 
 
 [May g 
 
 S, GREGORY NAZIANZEN, B,D. 
 
 Morning Prayer 
 
 N the morning I stretch forth my hands 
 in supplication to my God, and vow that 
 I will neither do nor approve any wicked 
 thing, but that, as far as in me lies, I will conse- 
 crate this day to Thee, O Lord, by my remain- 
 ing calm and steadfast, unshaken by the storms 
 of passion. For, if I be evil, my years and the 
 Table of the Lord at which I serve put me to 
 shame. Behold, this is my desire ; O Lord, my 
 Christ, do Thou fulfil it.* Amen, 
 
 ^ 
 
 Evening Prayer 
 
 I WAS false to Thee, O Thou Word who art 
 the Truth, when I consecrated the day to Thee, 
 for the night has come and found me not free 
 from stain, not full of light. I prayed indeed 
 for puritv and I thought that I should be pure, 
 but behold my feet have stumbled ; for the dark- 
 
 * The original is in Greek verse. 
 
56 ^ragm of tfie faints 
 
 ness was about me, which is the enemy of salva- 
 tion. Shine again upon me, O Christ, and show 
 me the light of thy countenance. Thou who art 
 the Light.* A?nen. 
 
 Prayer before setting out on a Journey 
 
 O Lord Christ, who givest all good things to 
 them that love Thee, without whom we cannot 
 set one foot before another, trusting in Thee, O 
 Thou who art the Way, the Truth, and the 
 Life, I start on this journey. Do Thou bring 
 me back again, O Lord, to my humble home, 
 that by day and night I may be free to praise 
 and bless Thee, O Lord my Saviour.* Jmen. 
 
 May ig 
 
 a DUNSTAN (Archbishop) 
 Anthem 
 
 REX gentium dominator omnium, prop- 
 ter sedem majestatis tuae da nobis indul- 
 gentiam. Rex Christe, peccatorum. 
 Alleluia ! 
 
 * Translated from the Greek verse of the original. 
 
^ragers of tfte faints 57 
 
 Dying Words 
 
 Glory be to Thee, Almighty Father, who hast 
 given to them that fear Thee the heavenly bread 
 of life, that we may be mindful of the marvels 
 which Thou hast wrought upon the earth, by send- 
 ing us Thy only begotten Son, very man, born of a 
 pure virgin. We give thanks, as is most justly 
 due, to Thee, O Holy Father, who didst create 
 us ere yet we were, and whilst we were yet 
 sinners didst make us partakers of Thy heavenly 
 grace, through the same Thy Son, our Lord and 
 God, who with Thee and the Holy Ghost 
 maketh, ordereth, and ruleth all things for ever 
 and ever, world without end. Amen, 
 
 May 26 
 
 S» AUGUSTINE, Archbishop (Canterbury) 
 
 The Prayer arid Praise of S« Gregory on 
 
 hearing of the success of S* Augustine's 
 
 Missionary Journey to Britain 
 
 HEE, O Lord, the author of all salvation. 
 Thee wonderful and glorious in Thy 
 saints, and in Thy loving mercy, Thee 
 we laud and magnify in all things with our 
 humble praise. For behold, through Thy lowly 
 servant Augustine the ocean that once was wild 
 
58 ^ragm of t]&c faints 
 
 and rough is now calm and smooth beneath the 
 feet of the saints, and the Hebrew Alleluia now 
 begins to resound on the barbarous tongue of 
 Britain. Receive, O Thou Sower of Benefits, 
 receive the fruits of the boundless grace which 
 Thou hast planted in his fruitful breast ; receive 
 the newcomer. Thy servant, and all his eloquent 
 brethren, with whom he has left home and 
 country, friends and relations, and denied him- 
 self, and taken up his cross and followed Thee. 
 Thou art mighty to make of him, too, a great 
 nation, as Thou didst of the patriarch Thy 
 servant Abraham, in the old time before us. 
 
 But it is ever Thy nature and property, O 
 Lord, to lighten the danger and difficulties of 
 Thy saints, and to change them into the infinite 
 gain of heavenly joy. 
 
 May 2/ 
 
 PRAYER OF THE VENERABLE 
 BEDE R 
 
 GLORIOUS KING, Lord of all power, 
 who triumphing this day didst ascend 
 above the heavens, leave us not orphans, 
 but send down on us, from the Father, the 
 spirit of truth which Thou hast promised. 
 Hallelujah ! 
 
drawers of tj)e S^aii^ts 59 
 
 June s 
 
 S. BONIFACE, B,M, 
 
 la'^glET us pray the gracious defender of our 
 [B.B^I life, the only sure refuge of those in 
 trouble, that His right hand may keep 
 us safe amidst these dens of wolves, and that He 
 may guard us from harm, so that the footsteps of 
 apostates walking in darkness may not be found, 
 where should be the beautiful feet of those who 
 carry the peaceful light of the gospel, but that 
 the most gracious Father and God may help us 
 to gird up our loins, with bright candles in our 
 hands, and that he may enlighten the hearts of 
 the heathen to gaze at the glorious gospel of 
 Christ. A?nen. 
 
 June p 
 
 S. COLUMBA, Abb. 
 His Last Charge 
 
 COMMEND to you, my children, these 
 my last words, that you preserve true 
 charity and peace among yourselves. If 
 you observe this precept, according to the 
 example of the saints, God the Comforter of the 
 good will help you, and being with Him, I shall 
 intercede for you. He will afford you not only 
 all you want in this life, but likewise he will 
 
6o ^ragm of t{)e faints 
 
 bestow upon you those joys of Eternity, which 
 are prepared for them that keep His Command- 
 ments. 
 
 June lo 
 
 S* MARGARET, Q. 
 
 PRAISE and thank Thee, O Lord God 
 Almighty, that Thou hast seen fit to 
 give me to bear such pain and trouble in 
 these the last hours of my life, that, bearing them, 
 I may be purified from any stain of sin, as is my 
 trust through Jesus Christ my Saviour. 
 
 O Lord Jesus Christ, who according to the 
 Will of the Father and the Holy Ghost, hast by 
 Thy death given Hfe to this world, deliver me 
 from all evil. Amen. 
 
 JuJie II 
 
 S. BARNABAS, A.M. 
 Collect I 
 
 LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, who didst 
 endue Thy holy apostle Barnabas with 
 singular gifts of the Holy Ghost ; leave 
 us not, we beseech Thee, destitute of Thy 
 manifold gifts, nor yet of grace to use them 
 always to Thy honour and glory ; through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. zA^men, 
 
prayers of t6c faints 6i 
 
 Collect II 
 
 O Lord God Almighty, who hast built Thy 
 church upon the foundation of the Apostles, under 
 Christ the head corner-stone, and to this end 
 didst endue Thy holy apostle St. Barnabas with 
 singular gifts of the Holy Ghost ; leave me not 
 destitute, I humbly beseech Thee, of Thy 
 manifold gifts and talents, nor yet of grace to 
 make a right use of them always without any 
 sordid self-ends, to Thy honour and glory ; that, 
 making a due improvement of all those gifts 
 Thou graciously entrustest me with, I may be 
 able to give a good account of my stewardship 
 when the great Judge shall appear, the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who reigneth with Thee and the 
 Eternal Spirit, one God, blessed for ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 June 14. 
 
 S. BASIL THE GREAT 
 
 ORD OUR GOD, great, eternal, wonder- 
 ful in glory, who keepest covenant and 
 promises for those that love Thee with 
 their whole heart ; who art the life of all, the 
 help of those that flee unto Thee, the hope of 
 those who cry unto Thee ; cleanse us from our 
 
62 ^ragm of tfte S'amts 
 
 sins, secret and open, and from every thought 
 displeasing to Thy goodness, cleanse our bodies 
 and souls, our hearts and consciences, that with 
 a pure heart and a clear soul, with perfect love 
 and calm hope, we may venture confidently and 
 fearlessly to pray unto Thee. 
 
 iji 
 
 II 
 
 Accept, O God, the sincere repentance of Thy 
 servants for the sake of Thy Son, who takes away 
 the sins of the world ; accept it for an enlighten- 
 ing of our understandings and an atonement for 
 our sins ; for Thou wiliest not the death of a 
 sinner, but rather that he be converted and live, 
 for Thou art the Lord, merciful and gracious, 
 long-suffering and of great pity and truth, taking 
 away our transgressions, our iniquities and our 
 sins. And if we have offended Thee, either in 
 word or deed, remit pardon and forgive us, 
 according to Thy goodness and lovingkindness. 
 For if Thou art extreme to mark what is done 
 amiss, O Lord, who may abide it ? But with 
 Thee is gracious redemption, for Thou art the 
 propitiation of our sins, the light and saviour of our 
 souls. [Deliver me and all Thy people, O God, from 
 all manner of sin, from apostasy and blasphemy, 
 from evil speaking and cursing, from magic 
 and witchcraft, from idolatry and perjury, from 
 
^ragtrs of t!)c Sbamts 63 
 
 excommunication and schism, from the flying 
 arrows and from the groans of the just and 
 unjust ; from all fellowship with heretics or 
 heathens. Give us, O Lord, the knowledge, 
 the will and the courage to fly from our great 
 adversary, and to do that which is well-pleasing 
 unto Thee. Write our name with those of all 
 Thy saints in the kingdom of Heaven, through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom and with whom 
 be all glory and honour, world without end. 
 A?nen. 
 
 The Prayer of S^ Basil at the Breaking 
 of the Bread 
 
 O OUR God, the God of salvation, teach us 
 worthily to return our thanks to Thee for all 
 benefits which Thou hast at any time conferred 
 and dost still continue to confer upon us. Purge 
 us from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and teach 
 us so to perfect holiness in Thy fear, that we 
 receiving there Thy holy mysteries with the 
 testimony of a good conscience, may be partakers 
 of the most holy body and blood of Thy Christ; 
 and that receiving them worthily we may have 
 Christ dwelling in our hearts, and may become 
 the temple of Thy holy spirit. But O our God, 
 make us not guilty, either in soul or body, of this 
 tremendous and heavenly sacrament by our un- 
 worthy receiving of it ; but grant that to the 
 
64 ^raptrs of tje faints 
 
 end of our lives we may worthily receive these 
 means of sanctification for a passport to eternal 
 life, and an acceptable plea at the dreadful tribunal 
 of Thy Christ ; that we. with all Thy saints, 
 who have pleased Thee from the beginning of 
 the world, may be partakers of those good things 
 which Thou hast prepared for them who love 
 Thee, and grant, O Lord, that we may boldly 
 and without blame presume to call upon Thee, 
 our heavenly God and Father, for Jesus Christ 
 His sake.* Amen. 
 
 June 24 
 
 NATIVITY OF S. JOHN BAPTIST 
 
 Collect I 
 
 LMIGHTY GOD, by whose providence 
 Thy servant John Baptist was wonderfully 
 born, and sent to prepare the way of Thy 
 Son our Saviour, by preaching of repentance ; 
 make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, 
 that we may truly repent according to his preach- 
 ing ; and after his example constantly speak the 
 truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for 
 the truth's sake ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 Aynen. 
 
 * From the Liturgy of S. Basil. 
 
^ragcrs of tfie Sbafnts 65 
 
 June 24. 
 Collect II 
 
 Almighty God, by whose providence John the 
 Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to pre- 
 pare the way to Thy Son, our Saviour, by preach- 
 ing repentance ; grant that I may faithfully 
 endeavour to follow his doctrine and holy life, 
 and copy from him those excellent lessons of 
 retirement and mortification, humility and self- 
 denial, zeal for justice, and constancy in defending 
 the truth, courage to rebuke vice, and patience 
 in suffering for righteousness' sake. Grant this, 
 O Lord, for Jesus Christ His sake, our only 
 Mediator and Advocate. Amen. 
 
 June 24 
 
 Prayer 
 
 Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his 
 disciples. Luke xi. i. 
 
 June 2g 
 S* PETER, A.M. 
 Collect I 
 
 ALMIGHTY God, who by Thy Son 
 Jesus Christ didst give to Thy Apostle 
 Saint Peter many excellent gifts, and 
 commandedst him earnestly to feed Thy flock \ 
 
66 ^ragm of tfie ftamts 
 
 Make, we beseech Thee, all Bishops and Pastors 
 diligently to preach Thy Holy Word, and the 
 people obediently to follow the same, that they 
 may receive the crown of everlasting glory ; 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. At?ien. 
 
 June 2g 
 
 Collect II 
 
 O God, who for the trial of our faith and obedi- 
 ence sufferest us to be surrounded with variety of 
 temptations, the flesh endeavouring to ruin us 
 by its false allurements, the devil by his watch- 
 fulness and subtlety, and the world by its pomps 
 and vanities ; how shall I, a weak and frail 
 creature, stand fast, when Thy great Apostle 
 Peter failed in the day of trial ! My help standeth 
 in the Name of the Lord, in the powerful inter- 
 cession of the Blessed Jesus, and in the comfort- 
 able assistance of the Holy Ghost. Make me, 
 O blessed Trinity, like the Apostle of this day, 
 as eminent and remarkable for my repentance 
 and future zeal in Thy service, as for my past 
 heinous transgressions ; that being steadfast and 
 immovable, always abounding in the work of the 
 Lord, I may, through Thy mercy, be received 
 into Thine everlasting kingdom, there with the 
 glorious company of Prophets and Apostles, the 
 noble army of Martyrs, and all the shining host 
 of Heaven, to sing praise unto Him who sitteth 
 
^ragcts of tfie faints 67 
 
 upon the throne, who Hveth for ever and ever. 
 Amen, 
 
 June 2g 
 Words of S* Petef from the Cross 
 
 THE profound and ineffable mystery of 
 the Cross ! O inseparable bond of Grace ! 
 This is that wood of Life on which Jesus 
 Christ the Lord was exalted and drew all things 
 unto Him : this is that wood of Life on which 
 the body of the Lord Our Saviour was crucified, 
 but whereon Death was conquered and the whole 
 world freed from the chains of everlasting Death ! 
 
 the incomparable grace and Love of the 
 Cross ! 
 
 Therefore to Thee, O Lord Jesu, Son of the 
 Living God, I give thanks, not only with my 
 voice and heart, but also with my spirit, whereby 
 
 1 love Thee, I address Thee, I call upon Thee, 
 I cling to Thee, I understand Thee, I behold 
 Thee. Thou art to me all things, and in all 
 things : Thou art everything to me : for me 
 there is nothing but Thou only. Who art God 
 the Good and Very Son of God, to Whom with 
 the Eternal Father and Holy Ghost is honour 
 and Glory, for ever and ever, world without end.* 
 Amen, 
 
 * Acta Petri. 
 
68 ^ragm of tit Samts 
 
 Lord save me ! Matt, xiv. 29. 
 
 Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living 
 God. Matt, xvi. 16. 
 
 Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 
 Blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, v^^hich according to His abundant 
 mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope 
 by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the 
 dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and unde- 
 filed, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven 
 for you. 
 
 The God of all grace, who hath called us unto 
 His Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye 
 have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, 
 strengthen, settle you. 
 
 To Him be Glory and Dominion. Jmen. 
 
 Teter i. I. 
 
 July 20 
 
 S. MARGARET, V.M. 
 I 
 
 LORD JESUS CHRIST, life and virtue 
 of the Saints, comforter of the sorrowful, 
 Saviour of the afflicted, who never failest 
 those who put their trust in Thee, so strengthen 
 
prayers of t6e faints 69 
 
 me, Thy little child, that if the might of wicked 
 men come and seize me and lacerate my body 
 with all manner of cruel torments, Thou suffer 
 not Thy servant, O Lord, to faint through 
 dread of punishment, lest I relinquish my faith 
 in Thy grace, and through fear deny Thy holy 
 name. For Thou, O Lord, art the maker of 
 our souls and bodies ; Thou knowest the frailty 
 of our nature. Remember, I beseech Thee, 
 that we are but dust and clay ; for lo ! my 
 father and my mother, whose duty it surely was 
 to exhort me to obey Thy commandments, 
 strive to lead me astray, because I do not worship 
 false gods. But since, O Lord, my most faithful 
 Saviour, I believe that Thou deignest to take me 
 to Thyself, therefore I do not fear what man 
 may do to me. 
 
 II 
 
 O Lord God, ruler of the heavens and of the 
 earth, creator of things visible and invisible, 
 giver of eternal life, and consoler of the sorrowful, 
 make me to stand firm in the confession of Thy 
 Name, that as with Thine aid I have begun the 
 good fight, so with Thine aid I may be deemed 
 worthy to gain the victory, lest the adversary 
 spitefully mock at me, saying, " Where is now 
 her God, in whom she trusted ? " 
 
 But let the angel of Thy light come and 
 
70 ^ragm of tje Samis 
 
 restore to me the light which the darkness of my 
 cell has taken from me ; and let the right hand 
 of Thy majesty scatter the phantom hosts of the 
 ancient enemy. For we know, O Lord, that 
 Thy mercy will aid us in all temptations. 
 
 ^ 
 
 III 
 
 O Lord Jesus Christ, the champion of Thy 
 soldiers, who by Thy victory on the cross didst 
 humble the pride of the evil one, rise to my aid. 
 Say to my soul, " I am thy salvation," for Thou 
 didst say, "thou shalt walk unhurt on the asp and 
 the basilisk, and tread the lion and the dragon 
 beneath thy foot." 
 
 ^ 
 
 IV 
 
 I BLESS Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, I praise and 
 glorify Thy Holy Name ; for the virtue of Thy 
 power has made me, a weak woman, strong, and 
 enabled me to pass through the triumphant 
 agonies of martyrdom. Therefore I humbly 
 pray and beseech Thee that my soul may now 
 be taken up by Thine angels, so far as I may be 
 deemed worthy to possess with the company of 
 
^ragers of tfie faints 71 
 
 Thy saints the joys of everlasting happiness, and 
 to behold Thy desirable presence, which I have 
 ever desired ; who with the Father and the 
 Holy Ghost, livest and reignest, world without 
 end. Amen. 
 
 Oft 
 
 7^/y 22 
 
 S* MARY MAGDALENE, PENIT. 
 
 ND, behold, a woman in the city which 
 was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus 
 sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, 
 brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood 
 at His feet behind Him, weeping, and began to 
 wash His feet with tears, and did wipe them 
 with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet 
 and anointed them with ointment. Luke vii. 
 
 Jesus saith unto her, "Mary." She turned 
 herself and saith unto Him, " Rabboni," which 
 is to say, "Master." yohn xx. i6. 
 
 ^ 
 
72 ^ragm of tfie faints 
 
 July 2S 
 
 S. JAMES, A.M. 
 
 Collect I 
 
 I^glRANT, O merciful God, that as Thine 
 II^SI ho^y Apostle St. James, leaving his father 
 and all that he had, without delay, was 
 obedient unto the calling of Thy son Jesus Christ, 
 and followed Him ; so we, forsaking all worldly 
 and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to 
 follow Thy holy commandments -, through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. Jtnen. 
 
 %H 
 
 Collect II 
 
 Grant, O merciful God, that as Thy holy 
 Apostle St. James, leaving his father and all that 
 he had, without delay, was obedient to the call of 
 Thy son Jesus Christ, and followed Him, and at 
 last cheerfully laid down his life for His gospel's 
 sake, so I, forsaking all worldly and carnal affec- 
 tions, may be evermore ready to follow Thy 
 holy commandments, and, whenever Thy provi- 
 dence shall make it my duty, may readily and 
 cheerfully embrace death, though armed with 
 his utmost terror, rather than forsake or deny 
 Thee. Let me rejoice in every happy occasion 
 
^rauers of tfte faints 73 
 
 of testifying the sincerity of my love, by suffer- 
 ing for Thy truth, and let the firm belief of 
 those glorious eternal rewards which Thou hast 
 prepared for them who lay down their lives for 
 Thy sake, support me under all the cruelties of 
 the most merciless persecutors. Grant this, O 
 blessed Lord, who didst die for me, and didst 
 rise again, and now sittest at the right hand of 
 the Father, to intercede for me, and all Thy 
 faithful disciples. Amen. 
 
 ^ 
 
 From the Liturgy of S» James* 
 
 O God, who has taught us Thy divine and 
 saving oracles, enlighten the souls of us sinners 
 for the comprehension of the things which have 
 been before spoken, so that we may not only be 
 seen to be hearers of spiritual things, but also 
 doers of good deeds, striving after guileless faith, 
 blameless life, and pure conversation. 
 
 Release, pardon, and forgive, O God, all our 
 voluntary and involuntary sins, such as we have 
 committed in action and in word, knowingly and 
 ignorantly, by night and by day, in mind and 
 thought, forgive us all in goodness and love. 
 
 Sanctify, O Lord, our souls, bodies and spirits ; 
 examine our minds and search our consciences ; 
 take from us all evil imaginations, all impurity of 
 
 * So-called. 
 
74 ^ragers of tfie faints 
 
 thought, all inclinations to lust, all depravity of 
 conception, all envy, pride and hypocrisy, all 
 falsehood, deceit and irregular living, all covetous- 
 ness, vain glory and sloth ; all malice, anger and 
 w^rath, all remembrance of injuries, all blasphemy 
 and every motion of flesh and spirit that is con- 
 trary to the purity of Thy vs^ill. 
 
 S* OSWALD, K.M. 
 
 In Time of Battle — To His Army 
 
 I 
 
 ET us all together pray upon our knees 
 that the Lord Almighty, the one true 
 and Hving God, may, by His infinite 
 mercy, defend us from the proud and savage 
 enemy. For He knoweth that we are fighting 
 a just battle for the safety of our race. 
 
 II 
 
 Dying Words 
 
 My God, my God, have mercy on the souls of 
 my soldiers and my people. 
 
^raijm of tlje ^nints 75 
 
 Jug 10 
 
 S. LAWRENCE, M. 
 
 Under Torture 
 
 '©I 
 
 I 
 
 LESSED art Thou, O Lord God, Father 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hast 
 vouchsafed to give us mercy that we did 
 not deserve. But do Thou, O Lord, of Thy 
 loving pity grant me Thy grace, that all here 
 may know and understand that Thou dost com- 
 fort and succour Thy servants. 
 
 Aug. 20 
 S. BERNARD, Abb, 
 
 I^^IO Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, who in the 
 l^.^l fellowship of Thy most bitter sorrow, 
 didst take upon Thee the cause of my 
 sorrow and the redemption of my sins, to Thee 
 in company with all who are heartily sorry and 
 do earnestly repent and call upon Thee, I do 
 confess all my sins, of evil done and good left 
 undone, or good done carelessly and without 
 pure intent; all the transgressions whose number. 
 
 weight 
 
 and 
 
 measure. Thou 
 
 , 
 
 Lord, knowest 
 
 better 
 
 than 
 
 L 
 
 I confess 
 
 unto 
 
 Thee the lost 
 
 days of 
 
 my 
 
 life. 
 
 in which I 
 
 have 
 
 sinned against 
 
76 ^ragcts of fte faints 
 
 Thee and diminished Thy praise, faUing from 
 Thee who art the highest good. 
 
 Take then, O Lord, from my miserable life, 
 the remainder of my years. Despise not, O 
 Lord, a humble and contrite heart in return for 
 these years which I have wasted by evil living, 
 and lost by living in sin. My days have past 
 and fruitlessly perished. I cannot recall them ; 
 but may it please Thee that I live them over 
 again in the bitter contrition of my soul. The , 
 bottomless deep of my misery, O Lord, calls 
 unto the unsounded deep of Thy mercy. 
 
 Keep not back from me in anger Thy merciful 
 pity ; let not the inexhaustible fountain of Thy 
 mercy be dried up around me by reason of my sins, 
 O Thou who hast mercy on all men, and hatest 
 nothing that Thou hast made, but put my sins 
 from Thee by reason of my penitence. 
 
 For Thine, O Lord, is the remission of sins, 
 have mercy upon me whilst the time of grace and 
 mercy is yet with us ; and whilst it is yet the 
 time of redemption grant that I may be held 
 worthy of Thy blessing, that on the Day of 
 Judgment I meet not with the word of con- 
 demnation. 
 
 Make me, I beseech Thee, O Lord, to relin- 
 quish my evil habits and to do what is pleasing 
 to Thee, and grant that the zeal which I have 
 hitherto exercised in sin, I may, by Thine aid, 
 exercise henceforth according to Thy will, that 
 where my wrongdoing was abundant there Thy 
 grace may now exceedingly abound. 
 
^rapns of tjc S:nin\% 77 
 
 I beseech Thee for Thy dear Name's sake, and 
 for the love of Thy most holy and glorious 
 Mother, the Virgin Mary, and by the inter- 
 cessions of all Thy saints, pardon all my sins, 
 negligences and ignorances, and keep not my 
 transgressions in wrath until the end. Remem- 
 ber, O Lord Jesus, that it is not Thine to lose 
 any of those whom Thy father gave to Thee, but 
 that it is ever Thy peculiar grace to have mercy 
 and to spare ; to lose none but to save all. For 
 Thy Father sent Thee into the world, not that 
 Thou mightest judge the world, but that 
 we might have life through Thee ; that Thou 
 mightest be the propitiation of our sins and our 
 advocate, not our accuser. For our debts Thou 
 hast paid ; and our sins Thou hast washed away j 
 and what we neglected Thou hast fulfilled. 
 
 Let there avail then, O Lord, even in the 
 extremity of my oiFences, the full and more than 
 perfect satisfaction of Thy most bitter death and 
 the inestimable price of the blood Thou didst 
 shed for us ; the commemoration of Thy sacrifice, 
 and the dread mystery of Thy body and blood, 
 O Lord, which is daily offered in the Church to 
 Thee for the salvation of Thy faithful servants ; 
 in which Thou art Thyself the Priest, and the 
 Sacrifice, the Offerer, the Receiver, and the 
 Oblation. Let these avail, I beseech Thee, so 
 that I may be deemed worthy at this present time 
 of grace which I have not merited, and that in 
 the life to come I may obtain that peace and glory 
 which Thy most bitter death won for me. 
 
78 ^ragns of tjt faints 
 
 Thine eyes, O Lord Jesu^ have seen my im- 
 perfection, but do not, O Thou most Holy, 
 most merciful, triumphant over evil, do not, I 
 beseech Thee, impute it to me for eternal punish- 
 ment, O Thou who didst order all things for the 
 highest and perfect good, O Best, O most Per- 
 fect, O Lord most Wise. Let me not be blotted 
 out from the Book of Life ; but give me the 
 portion w^hich is mine by virtue of Thy most 
 precious passion, in return for which Thou didst 
 wish to have men as joint-heirs with Thee. 
 
 Let the consideration of the frailty of our 
 nature move and incline Thee to mercy, O Lord, 
 who knowest whereof we are made, and that 
 Thou didst not vainly set man upon the earth. 
 Preserve the work of Thy loving pity, lest Thou 
 shalt have suffered in vain for me, and shed Thy 
 blood for me in vain. 
 
 O Thouj who dost wash away our sins, grant 
 that I, being purified through Thee from the 
 stain of my sins, with mind and heart and soul made 
 pure, may learn to know and acknowledge Thee, 
 and humbly to follow after Thee, that so at last 
 I may be deemed worthy, by a calm and peaceful 
 death, to come to Thee, O Jesu Christ, my Lord 
 and my God, who with the Father and the Holy 
 Ghost, hvest and reignest, world without end. 
 Atnen. 
 
prayers of fte ^amts 79 
 
 Aug. 20 
 
 Ad Christum a Cruce Pendentem 
 
 Salve, caput cruentatum, 
 Totum spinis coronatum, 
 Conquassatum, vulneratum, 
 Arundine verberatum, 
 
 Facie sputis illita. 
 Salve, cujus dulcis vultus, 
 Immutatus et incultus, 
 Immutavit suuni florem, 
 Totus versus in pallorem, 
 
 Quern coeli tremit curia. 
 
 Omnis vigor atque viror 
 Hinc recessit, non admiror, 
 Mors apparet in adspectu, 
 Totus pendens in defectu, 
 
 Attritus aegra macie. 
 Sic affectus, sic despectus. 
 Propter me sic interfectus, 
 Peccatori tarn indigno 
 Cum amoris intersigno 
 
 Appare clara facie. 
 
 In hac tua passione 
 Me agnosce. Pastor bone, 
 Cujus sumpsi mel ex ore, 
 Haustum lactis cum dulcore, 
 Prae omnibus deliciis. 
 
8o drapers of tjt faints 
 
 Non me reum asperneris, 
 Nee indignum dedigneris j 
 Morte tibi jam vicina 
 Tuum caput hie inelina, 
 In meis pausa braehiis. 
 
 Tuas sanetae passioni, 
 Me gauderem interponi, 
 In hae cruce tecum mori, 
 Praesta crucis amatori, 
 
 Sub cruce tua moriar. 
 Morti tuas tam amarae 
 Grates ago, Jesu care, 
 Qui es clemens pie Deus, 
 Fac quod petit tuus reus, 
 
 Ut absque te non finiar. 
 
 Dum me mori est necesse, 
 Noli mihi tunc deesse -, 
 In tremenda mortis hora 
 Veni, Jesu, absque mora, 
 
 Tuere me et libera. 
 Cum me jubes emigrare, 
 Jesu care, tunc appare ; 
 O amator amplectende, 
 Temetipsum tunc ostende 
 
 In cruce salutifera. 
 
 ^ 
 
^raijcvs of \\)t S^nmts 
 
 Jug, 24 
 
 S. BARTHOLOMEW, A.RM. 
 
 Collects 
 
 ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who 
 didst give Thine Apostle Bartholomew 
 grace truly to believe and to preach 
 Thy Word ; grant, we beseech Thee, unto 
 Thy Church to love that Word which he 
 believed, and both to preach and receive the 
 same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. J?nen. 
 
 %H 
 
 II 
 
 O Almighty and everlasting God, who didst 
 give to Thy Apostle Bartholomew grace 
 truly to believe and preach Thy Word ; grant 
 that I may love and receive that Word which 
 he believed ; increase my knowledge, and con- 
 firm my faith evermore ; make me, Hke him, 
 an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile ; that 
 paying an entire uniform obedience to all Thy 
 commandments, and seeking, in all my words 
 and actions, to advance Thy glory, I may, 
 through Thy infinite mercy, be graciously 
 
^ragm of tfie ^amts 
 
 accepted by Thee, for the sake of Jesus Christ, 
 our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen. 
 
 Nathaniel answered and said unto Him, 
 " Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God : Thou art 
 the King of Israel." yohn i. 50. 
 
 Jug. 2S 
 
 S. LOUIS, KX. 
 
 Prayer for his Son 
 
 BESEECH our Lord Jesus Christ, of 
 His great mercy, to guard you from all 
 evils, to protect and strengthen you in 
 His service, and always so to increase His grace 
 in you, that you never do anything against His 
 Holy Will, and that He may ever be faithfully 
 honoured and served by you. And this same 
 grace I beg for myself, that, when this mortal 
 life is ended, we may together see Him, love 
 Him, and praise Him for all eternity. Amen, 
 
^vnijcvs of tftc S^nints 83 
 
 Aug. 28 
 
 S. AUGUSTINE, B.CD. 
 I 
 
 LORD, who art the Light, the Way, 
 the Truth, the Life ; in whom there is 
 no darkness, error, vanity, or death — 
 the Light without which there is darkness ; the 
 Way without which there is wandering ; the 
 Truth without which there is error ; the Life 
 without which there is Death : say, Lord, let 
 there be Light, and I shall see Light, and eschew 
 Darkness ; I shall see the way and avoid wan- 
 dering \ I shall see the Truth and shun error ; 
 I shall see Life and escape Death : Illuminate, O 
 illuminate my blind soul which sitteth in dark- 
 ness and the shadow of Death j and direct my 
 feet into the way of Peace. Amen, 
 
 ^ 
 
 IF 
 
 What art Thou then, my God ? What, but 
 the Lord God ? For who is Lord but the Lord ? 
 or who is God save our God ? Most highest, 
 most good, most potent, most omnipotent, most 
 merciful, yet most just; most hidden, yet most 
 
 * This and the following are from the " Confes- 
 sions," translated by Pusey. 
 
84 ^ra^fi^s of tje gbatnts 
 
 present ; most beautiful, yet most strong ; stable 
 yet incomprehensible ; unchangeable, yet all- 
 changing ; never new, never old ; all-renewing ; 
 and bringing age upon the proud, and they knew 
 it not i ever working, ever at rest ; still gather- 
 ing, yet nothing lacking ; supporting, filling, 
 and over-spreading ; creating, nourishing, and 
 maturing ; seeking, yet having all things. 
 Thou lovest without passion ; art jealous without 
 anxiety ; repentest, yet grievest not ; art angry, 
 yet serene ; changest Thy works. Thy purpose 
 unchanged ; receivest again what Thou findest, 
 yet didst never lose ; never in need, yet rejoic- 
 ing in gains ; never covetous, yet exacting 
 usury. Thou receivest over and above, that 
 Thou mayest owe ; and who hath aught that is 
 not Thine? Thou payest debts, owing nothing j 
 remittest debts, losing nothing. And what have 
 I now said, my God, my life, my holy joy ? or 
 what saith any man when he speaks of Thee ? 
 Yet woe to him that speaketh not, since mute 
 are even the most eloquent. 
 
 O ! that I might repose on Thee ! O ! that 
 Thou wouldest enter into my heart, and ine- 
 briate it, that I may forget my ills, and em- 
 brace Thee, my sole good ! What art Thou to 
 me ? In Thy pity, teach me to utter it. Or 
 what am I to Thee, that Thou demandest my 
 love, and, if I give it not, art wroth with me, 
 and threatenest me with grievous woes ? Is it 
 then a slight woe to love Thee not ? O ! for 
 Thy mercies' sake, tell me, O Lord my God, 
 
prayers of t!jc faints 85 
 
 what Thou art unto me. Say unto my soul, I 
 am thy Salvation. So speak, that I may hear. 
 Behold, Lord, my heart is before Thee ; open 
 Thou the ears thereof, and say unto my soul, I 
 am thy Salvation. After this voice let me 
 haste, and take hold on Thee. Hide not Thy 
 face from me. Let me die — lest I die — only let 
 me see Thy face. 
 
 Narrow is the mansion of my soul ; enlarge 
 Thou it, that Thou mayest enter in. It is 
 ruinous, repair Thou it. It has that within 
 which must ofFend Thine eyes ; I confess and 
 know it. But who shall cleanse it ? or to whom 
 should I cry, save Thee ? Lord, cleanse me 
 from my secret faults, and spare Thy servant 
 from the power of the enemy. I believe, and 
 therefore do I speak. Lord, Thou knowest, 
 have I not confessed against m.yself my trans- 
 gressions unto Thee, and Thou, my God, hast 
 forgiven the iniquity of my heart ? I contend 
 not in judgment with Thee, who art the Truth ; 
 I fear to deceive myself lest mine iniquity lie 
 unto itself. Therefore I contend not in judg- 
 ment with Thee ; for if Thou, Lord, shouldest 
 mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall abide it ? 
 
 ^ 
 
 III 
 
 Hear, Lord, my prayer ; let not my soul faint 
 under Thy discipline, nor let me faint in con- 
 
86 ^ragm of ftc ^atnts 
 
 fessing unto Thee all Thy mercies whereby 
 Thou hast drawn me out of all my most evil 
 ways, that Thou mightest become a delight to 
 me above all the allurements which I once pur- 
 sued ; that I may most entirely love Thee, and 
 clasp Thy hand with all my affections, and Thou 
 mayest yet rescue me from every temptation, 
 even unto the end. For lo, O Lord, my King 
 and my God, for Thy service be whatever useful 
 thing my childhood learned ; for Thy service 
 that I speak, write, read, reckon. For Thou 
 didst grant me Thy discipline while I was learn- 
 ing vanities ; and my sin of delighting in those 
 vanities Thou hast forgiven. In them, indeed, 
 I learnt many a useful word, but these may as 
 well be learned in things not vain ; and that is 
 the safe path for the steps of youth. 
 
 ^ 
 
 IV 
 
 O Lord our God, under the shadow of Thy 
 wings let us hope ; protect us and carry us. 
 Thou wilt carry us both when little, and even to 
 hoar hairs wilt Thou carry us ; for our firmness, 
 when it is Thou, then is it firmness ; but when 
 our own, it is infirmity. Our good ever lives 
 with Thee, from which, when we turn away, we 
 are turned aside. Let us now, O Lord, return, 
 that we may not be overturned, because with 
 
^raijcrs of tftc faints 87 
 
 Thee our good lives without any decay, which 
 good art Thou ; nor need we fear lest there be 
 no place whither to return because we fell from 
 it, for through our absence our mansion fell not 
 — Thy eternity. 
 
 Accept the sacrifice of my confessions from 
 the ministry of my tongue, which Thou hast 
 formed and stirred up to confess unto Thy name. 
 Heal Thou all my bones, and let them say, O 
 Lord, who is Hke unto Thee ? For he who 
 confesses to Thee, doth not teach Thee what 
 takes place within him ; seeing a closed heart 
 closes not out Thine eye, nor can man's hard- 
 heartedness thrust back Thine hand, for Thou 
 dissolvest it at Thy will, in pity or in vengeance, 
 and nothing can hide itself from Thy heat. But 
 let my soul praise Thee, that it may love Thee ; 
 and let it confess Thine own mercies to Thee, 
 that it may praise Thee. Thy whole creation 
 ceaseth not, nor is silent in Thy praises ; neither 
 the spirit of man with voice directed unto Thee, 
 nor creation, animate or inanimate, by the voice 
 of those who meditate thereon j that so our souls 
 may, from their weariness, arise towards Thee, 
 leaning on those things which Thou hast created, 
 and passing on to Thyself, who madest them 
 wonderfully, and there is refreshment and true 
 strength. 
 
 Let the restless, the godless depart and flee 
 from Thee ; yet Thou seest them, and dividest 
 the darkness. And behold, the universe with 
 them is fair, though they are foul. And how 
 
88 ^rai3trs of ftc S^afnts 
 
 have they injured Thee ? or how have they dis- 
 graced Thy government, which, from the heaven 
 to this lowest earth, is just and perfect ? For 
 whither fled they, when they fled from Thy 
 presence ? Or where dost thou not find them ? 
 But they fled, that they might not see Thee 
 seeing them, and blinded, might stumble against 
 Thee ; (because Thou forsakest nothing Thou 
 hast made), that the unjust, I say, might stumble 
 upon Thee, and justly be hurt ; withdrawing 
 themselves from Thy gentleness, and stumbling 
 at Thy uprightness, and falling upon their own 
 ruggedness. Ignorant, in truth, that Thou art 
 everywhere. Whom no place encompasseth ! and 
 Thou alone art near, even to those that remove 
 far from Thee. Let them be turned, and seek 
 Thee ; because not as they have forsaken their 
 Creator, hast Thou forsaken Thy creation. Let 
 them be turned and seek Thee, and behold. Thou 
 art there in their heart, in the heart of those that 
 confess to Thee, and cast themselves upon Thee, 
 and weep in Thy bosom, after all their rugged 
 ways. Then dost Thou gently wipe away their 
 tears, and they weep no more, and joy in weep- 
 ing ; even for that Thou, Lord — not man of 
 flesh and blood, but — Thou, Lord, who madest 
 them, re-makest and comfortest them. But 
 where was I, when I was seeking Thee ? And 
 Thou wert before me, but I am gone away from 
 Thee ; nor did I find myself, how much less 
 Thee ! 
 
trailers of tfjc ^ainls 
 
 Too late loved I Thee, O Thou Beauty of 
 ancient days, yet ever new^ ! too late I loved 
 Thee ! And behold, Thou w^ert v^^ithin, and I 
 abroad, and there I searched for Thee ; deformed 
 I, plunging amid those fair forms which Thou 
 hadst made. Thou wert w^ith me, but I was 
 not with Thee. Things held me far from Thee, 
 which, unless they were in Thee, were not at all. 
 Thou calledst, and shoutedst, and burstest my 
 deafness. Thou flashedst, shonest, and scatteredst 
 my blindness. Thou breathedst odours, and I 
 drew in breath and pant for Thee. I tasted, and 
 hunger and thirst. Thou touchedst me, and I 
 burned for Thy peace. 
 
 When I shall with my whole self cleave to 
 Thee, I shall nowhere have sorrow or labour ; and 
 my life shall wholly live, as wholl}'' full of Thee. 
 But now, since whom Thou fillest. Thou liftest 
 up, because I am not full of Thee I am a burthen 
 to myself. Lamentable joys strive with joyous 
 sorrows : and on which side is the victory, I know 
 not. Woe is me ! Lord, have pity on me. My 
 evil sorrows strive with my good joys ; and on 
 which side is the victory, I know not. Woe is 
 me ! Lord, have pity on me. Woe is me ! lo! 
 I hide not my wounds ; Thou art the Physician, 
 I the sick ; Thou merciful, I miserable. Is not 
 the life of man upon earth all trial ? Who 
 wishes for troubles and difficulties ? Thou com- 
 
90 ^tagets of tfte $>a(nts 
 
 mandest them to be endured, not to be loved. 
 No man loves what he endures, though he love 
 to endure. For though he rejoices that he endures 
 he had rather there were nothing for him to 
 endure. In adversity, I long for prosperity, in 
 prosperity I fear adversity. What middle place 
 is there betwixt these two, where the life of man 
 is not all trial ? Woe to the prosperities of the 
 world, once and again, through fear of adversity, 
 and corruption of joy ! Woe to the adversities 
 of the world, once and again, and the third time, 
 from the longing for prosperity, and because 
 adversity itself is a hard thing, and lest it shatter 
 endurance. Is not the Hfe of man upon earth 
 all trial, without any interval ? 
 
 And all my hope is nowhere but in Thy 
 exceeding great mercy. Give what Thou en- 
 joinest, and enjoin what Thou wilt. Thou en- 
 joinest us continency ; and when I knew, saith 
 one, that no man can be continent, unless God give 
 it, this also was a part of wisdom to know whose 
 gift she is. By continency, verily, are we bound 
 up and brought back into One, whence we were 
 dissipated into many. For too little doth he love 
 Thee, who loves any thing with Thee, which he 
 loveth not for Thee. O love, who ever burnest 
 and never consumest ! O charity, my God ! 
 kindle me. Thou enjoinest continency : give 
 me what Thou enjoinest, and enjoin what Thou 
 wilt. 
 
^vaijcrs of tfic S^amts 91 
 
 VI 
 
 How hast Thou loved us, good Father, who 
 sparedst not Thine only Son, but deliveredst Him 
 up for us ungodly ! How hast Thou loved us, 
 for whom He that thought it no robbery to be 
 equal with Thee was made subject even to the 
 death of the cross. He alone free among the dead, 
 having power to lay down His life, and power to 
 take it again : for us to Thee both Victor and 
 Victim, and therefore Victor, because the Victim; 
 for us to Thee Priest and Sacrifice, and therefore 
 Priest because the Sacrifice ; making us to Thee, 
 of Servants, Sons, by being born of Thee, and 
 serving us. Well, then, is my hope strong in 
 Him, that Thou wilt heal all my infirmities, by 
 Him Who sitteth at Thy right hand and maketh 
 intercession for us ; else should I despair. For 
 many and great are my infirmities, many they 
 are, and great ; but Thy medicine is mightier. 
 We might imagine that Thy Word was far from 
 any union with man, and despair of ourselves, 
 unless He had been made flesh and dwelt among 
 us. 
 
 Affrighted with my sins and the burthen of 
 my misery, I had cast in my heart, and had 
 purposed to flee to the wilderness ; but Thou 
 forbaddest me, and strengthenedst me, saying. 
 Therefore Christ died for all, that they which 
 live may now no longer live unto themselves, but 
 unto Him that died for them. See, Lord, I cast 
 
92 ^ragcrs of tSe ^amts 
 
 my care upon Thee, that I may live, and consider 
 wondrous things out of Thy law. Thou knowest 
 my unskilfulness, and my infirmities ; teach me, 
 and heal me. He, Thine only Son, in whom are hid 
 all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, hath 
 redeemed me with His blood. Let not the proud 
 speak evil of me ; because I meditate on my 
 ransom, and eat and drink, and communicate it ; 
 and poor, desired to be satisfied from Him, 
 amongst those that eat and are satisfied, and they 
 shall praise the Lord who seek Him. 
 
 %M 
 
 VII 
 
 O Lord my God, give ear unto my prayer, and 
 let Thy mercy hearken unto my desire ; because 
 it is anxious not for myself alone, but would 
 serve brotherly charity ; and Thou seest my 
 heart, that so it is. I would sacrifice to Thee 
 the service of my thought and tongue ; do Thou 
 give me, what I may offer thee. For I am poor 
 and needy. Thou rich to all that call upon Thee; 
 Who, inaccessible to care, carest for me. Cir- 
 cumcise from all rashness and all lying both my 
 inward and outward lips : let Thy Scriptures be 
 my pure delights ; let me not be deceived in 
 them, nor deceive out of them. Lord, hearken 
 and pity, O Lord my God, Light of the blind, 
 and Strength of the weak ; yea also Light of 
 
^rmjers of tftc S^nmts 93 
 
 those that see, and strength of the strong, hearken 
 unto my soul, and hear it crying out of the depths. 
 For if thine ears be not with us in the depths 
 also, whither shall we go ? Whither cry ? The 
 day is Thine, and the night is Thine ; at Thy 
 beck the mountains flee by. Grant therefore a 
 space for our meditations in the hidden things of 
 Thy law, and close it not against us who knock. 
 For not in vain wouldest Thou have the dark- 
 some secrets of so many pages written ; nor are 
 those forests without their harts which retire 
 therein and range and walk, feed, lie down and 
 ruminate. Perfect me, O Lord, and reveal them 
 unto me. Behold, Thy voice is my joy ; Thy 
 voice exceedeth the abundance of pleasures. 
 Give what I love ; for I do love ; and this hast 
 Thou given ; forsake not Thine own gifts, nor 
 despise Thy green herb that thirsteth. Let me 
 confess unto Thee whatsoever I shall find in 
 Thy books, and hear the voice of praise, and 
 drink in Thee, and meditate on the wonderful 
 things out of Thy law ; even from the beginning, 
 wherein Thou madest the heaven and the earth, 
 unto the everlasting reigning of Thy holy city 
 with Thee. 
 
 VIII 
 
 O LET the Light, the Truth, the Light of my 
 heart, not mine own darkness, speak unto me. 
 
94 ^ragm of t^e faints 
 
 I fell ofF into that, and became darknened ; but 
 even thence, even thence I loved Thee. I went 
 astray, and remembered Thee. I heard Thy 
 voice behind me, calling me to return, and scarcely 
 heard it, through the tumultuousness of the 
 enemies of peace. And now, behold, I return 
 in distress and panting after Thy fountain. Let 
 no man forbid me ! of this will I drink, and so 
 live. Let me not be mine own life ; from my- 
 self I lived ill, death was I to myself; and I 
 revive in Thee. Do Thou speak unto me, do 
 Thou discourse unto me. I have believed Thy 
 Books, and their words be most full of mystery. 
 
 ^ 
 
 IX 
 
 Angels fell away, man's soul fell away, and 
 thereby pointed out the abyss in that dark depth, 
 ready for the whole spiritual creation, hadst not 
 Thou said from the beginning, "Let there be 
 light," and there had been light, and every obedient 
 intelligence of Thy heavenly city had cleaved 
 to Thee, and rested in Thy Spirit, which is borne 
 unchangeably over everything changeable. Other- 
 wise, had even the heaven of heavens been in 
 itself a darksome deep ; but now it is light in the 
 Lord. For even in that miserable restlessness of 
 the spirits, who fell away and discovered their 
 own darkness, when bared of the clothing of 
 
^raijers of tftc faints 95 
 
 Thy light, dost Thou sufficiently reveal how 
 noble Thou madest the reasonable creature ; to 
 which nothing will suffice to yield a happy rest, 
 less than Thee ; and so not even herself. For 
 Thou, O our God, shalt lighten our darkness ; 
 from Thee riseth our garment of light ; and 
 then shall our darkness be as the noon day. Give 
 Thyself unto me, O my God, restore Thyself 
 unto me : behold, I love, and if it be too little, I 
 would love more strongly. I cannot measure so 
 as to know how much love there yet lacketh to 
 me, ere my life may run into Thy embracements, 
 nor turn away, until it be hidden in the hidden 
 place of Thy Presence. This only I know, that 
 woe is me except in Thee ; not only without 
 but within myself also ; and all abundance, which 
 is not my God, is emptiness to me. 
 
 Sept. ly 
 
 S. LAMBERT, B.M. 
 
 RISE, O Lord, and judge my cause, and 
 forget not Thy poor at the last. Despise 
 not, O Lord, an humble and a contrite 
 heart, but accept the ready sacrifice of our service, 
 that the walls of Jerusalem may be reared to the 
 glory and honour of Thy Name, which is blessed 
 for evermore. Save me from my enemies, O 
 Lord, and deliver me from those that rise up 
 ap-ainst me ; for it is not on account of mine 
 
^raj^ns of tfte S'^ints 
 
 own iniquity and sin that strong and wicked 
 men have risen up against me. Behold, the 
 congregations of the mighty seek after my soul, 
 but do Thou receive it into Thy peace, O Lord, 
 who art ever compassionate and full of mercy. 
 
 Sept. 21 
 
 S, MATTHEW, A.E,M, 
 
 Collects 
 I 
 
 ALMIGHTY GOD, who by Thy 
 
 blessed Son didst call Matthew from the 
 receipt of custom to be an Apostle and 
 Evangelist ; grant us grace to forsake all covetous 
 desires, and inordinate love of riches, and to follow 
 the same Thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and 
 reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one 
 God, world without end. A?nen. 
 
 ^ 
 
 II 
 
 O Almighty God, whose powerful call drew 
 St. Matthew the publican from the very receipt 
 of custom to become an eminent Apostle and 
 Evangelist in Thy Church -, grant me grace to 
 
^Pragm of tfic faints 97 
 
 forsake all covetous desires and inordinate love 
 of riches, and to follow Thy Son Jesus Christ 
 without delay ; wean my heart from the vanities 
 of this world, from a too eager pursuit of temporal 
 things, that my care may be to provide for eternity 
 and to lay up a treasure in Heaven which faileth 
 not ; that when my body shall return to dust, 
 my soul may be received into the eternal mansions 
 of Thy everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. Amen. 
 
 Sept. 26 
 
 S. CYPRIAN, Abp* M. 
 S, JUSTINA, V.M, 
 
 Prayers at their Martyrdom 
 
 S. JUSTINA. 
 
 LORY be to Thee, O God, for Thou 
 
 hast taken me. Thine unworthy servant, 
 according to Thy gracious will, and 
 
 judged me worthy to suffer these tortures for 
 
 Thy Name. 
 
 S. Cyprian. 
 
 LORY be to God on high, and on earth, 
 peace, goodwill toward men. For after 
 that the devil was expelled from Heaven 
 
 G 
 
98 ^rarm of tfic faints 
 
 all things were filled with peace ; for Christ by 
 His advent on earth conquered the evil one, and 
 by the virtue of His Cross in His loving mercy 
 freed the world from the bondage of sin. Where- 
 fore I thank Thee, O God, most merciful Lord, 
 that I am suffering these torments for Thy Name, 
 and I beseech Thee that Thou wilt admit this 
 our sacrifice to partake of the odour of Thy 
 sweet sanctity. 
 
 Glory be to Thee, O Christ ! Atnen. 
 
 Sept. 2p 
 
 S. MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS 
 Collect I 
 
 EVERLASTING GOD, who hast 
 ordained and constituted the services of 
 angels and men in a wonderful order ; 
 mercifully grant, that as Thy holy angels always 
 do Thee service in Heaven, so by Thy appoint- 
 ment they may succour and defend us on earth ; 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Collect II 
 
 O Eternal God, who in Thy wonderful 
 providence hast rnade the angels ministering 
 
prayers of tfic ^amts 99 
 
 spirits, and sendest them forth to minister to 
 them who are the heirs of salvation ; behold 
 with pity the temptations and dangers to which 
 the frailty of my nature is perpetually exposed, 
 and give Thy angels charge to bear me in their 
 hands that I fall not, to succour and defend me 
 in this my pilgrimage on earth, and to shield me 
 from all the violence of the powers of darkness. 
 And give me grace, I beseech Thee, to praise 
 and adore Thee for their ministry and protec- 
 tion and to endeavour to do Thy will with the 
 same diligence and industry, with the same zeal 
 and cheerfulness, as Thy blessed angels do it 
 in Heaven ; that imitating their exemplary 
 obedience and unspotted purity in my life, I 
 may enjoy the advantage of their assistance in 
 the hour of death, in that dismal conflict with 
 the powers of darkness ; and, being by them 
 conducted to the mansions of glory, may be 
 advanced to a more intimate society with them 
 'n the life to come, through Jesus Christ our 
 
 Lord. Amen, 
 
 Sept. JO 
 
 S. JEROME, RCa* 
 
 OLY JESU, my virtue and consolation, 
 my protector and deliverer, my praise, in 
 whom I have put my hope and trust, 
 
 * Translated fiom the Pseudo-Eusebian " De 
 Morte Hieronymi." 
 
100 ^ragers of tje faints 
 
 and whom I have loved ; O perfect sweetness 
 and tower of strength, my hope from my youth 
 up ; call me, guide of my life, and I will answer 
 unto Thee. Stretch forth the right hand of 
 Thy mercy to Thy handiwork, which Thou, 
 the Creator of all things, didst form of clay, 
 frame with bones and sinews, and to which by 
 Thy death Thou didst grant pardon and life. 
 Make no long tarrying, O Lord ; for it is time 
 that the dust should turn again to dust, and that 
 the spirit should return to Thee, my Saviour, 
 who didst send it hither. Open to it the gates 
 of life. For when Thou didst hang, like a thief, 
 on the cross for me. Thou didst promise me that 
 Thou wouldst so receive it. Come, my beloved 
 Master, let me hold Thee and I will not let 
 Thee go. Make me to enter into Thy mansion. 
 Thou art my protector, my glory, who exaltest 
 me ; my salvation and my blessing. Receive me 
 into Thy keeping, O merciful God, according 
 to the multitude of Thy mercies. For in Thine 
 agony upon the cross Thou didst receive the 
 thief who called upon Thee. Let me possess 
 Thee, O Thou eternal happiness. I have strayed 
 in my blindness from the path and call upon Thee, 
 " O Jesu, Son of David, have mercy upon me." 
 Illumine my darkness with the light of Thine 
 eternal presence. O light invisible, without 
 which Tobias cried, " What is my joy when I 
 sit in darkness and behold not the light of 
 Heaven ? " O light, without which there is 
 neither truth nor discernment, neither wisdom 
 
^ranns of tfte faints loi 
 
 nor happiness, illumine mine eyes lest ever I fall 
 asleep in death and mine enemy say, " Lo ! I 
 have prevailed against him." I will say in the 
 bitterness of my soul, " I am weary of life, for I 
 am sick and the strength is gone from me in the 
 midst of poverty." Therefore do I run to Thee, 
 O God, my healer. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall 
 be whole. Save me, and I shall be safe. And 
 since I trust in Thee I shall not be put to shame. 
 But who am I that I speak thus boldly to Thee, 
 most Holy God ? A sinner, wholly begotten, 
 born, and brought up in sin ; a rotting corpse, a 
 foul vessel, the food of worms. 
 
 Alas, Lord, spare me. Arise and help me, 
 who am less than a straw in the face of the wind. 
 Like as the stag desires the water brooks, so 
 thirsteth my soul and seeketh after Thee, the 
 fountain of life, that it may drink with joy of 
 the waters of salvation and thirst no more. 
 When shall my soul come and appear before 
 Thy face ? O Lord, when wilt Thou look upon 
 me and restore my soul to Thee ? O come, 
 joy of my spirit, that I may delight in Thee. 
 Show me Thy mercy, O my happiness, and let 
 me find Thee, my heart's desire. Even as a slave 
 expecteth eagerly the end of his toil, so do I 
 wait for Thee. Let my request come before 
 Thee, O Lord ; stretch forth Thy right hand 
 and save me. Behold, I am one who, coming 
 down from Jerusalem, has been set upon by 
 robbers, grievously wounded and left half-dead. 
 O Thou Good Samaritan, receive me ! I have 
 
102 prayers of tfte faints 
 
 sinned overmuch in my life, and done evil in 
 Thy sight. I have not known Thee ; I have 
 been ungrateful for all Thy benefits ; I have not 
 praised Thee as I ought. Too often have I 
 kept silent as to the truth. In my heart, when 
 Thou was knocking at the door of my heart, I was 
 not eager to receive Thee with reverence. Too 
 dearly have I loved this corrupt body which 
 passeth as a shadow. With vain words have I 
 soiled my lips ; my study has not always been 
 in Thy statutes. I have not turned away mine 
 eyes, lest they beheld vanity. Mine ears I have 
 defiled with unprofitable words ; my hands I 
 have often failed to stretch out to the poor and 
 needy. With my feet I have hastened to iniquity. 
 From the sole of my foot to the crown of my 
 head there is no health in me. Surely, if by 
 Thy death on the cross Thou hadst not come 
 to my aid, my soul had deserved to dwell in hell. 
 But I, O Holy Jesus, am part of that great price. 
 For me Thou didst shed Thy precious blood, 
 cast me not away. I am as a sheep which has 
 strayed from the fold ; seek me, O Good Shep- 
 herd, and place me with Thy flock, and be justi- 
 fied of Thy words. For Thou hast promised mc 
 that at whatever hour a sinner repenteth he shall 
 be saved. I grieve and suffer for my faults ; I 
 acknowledge my transgressions, and my sins are 
 ever before me. Of a truth, I am not worthy 
 to be called Thy son, because I have sinned 
 against Heaven and before Thee. Turn Thy 
 face from my sins. Blot out mine iniquities 
 
prayers of djc faints 103 
 
 according to Thy great mercy. Cast me not 
 away from Thy presence. Deal not with me 
 according to my sins, neither reward me after 
 mine iniquities ; but help me, O God of my 
 salvation, and for the honour of Thy Name 
 deliver me. Graciously grant in Thy good 
 will that I may dwell in Thy house all the days 
 of my life, that with the inhabitants thereof I 
 may for ever praise Thee. Arise, hasten, beloved 
 Bridegroom of my soul, and consider not that it 
 is foul and stained with sin. Show me Thy 
 countenance, and let Thy voice sound in my 
 ears. For Thy voice is sweet, and Thy coun- 
 tenance most beautiful. Turn not away from 
 me, and hide not Thyself from Thy servant in 
 this hour. Put me not into the power of them 
 that persecute me. O Lord, I wait for Thee. 
 Turn my weeping into joy. Incline Thine ear 
 unto me, and make speed to bear me from this 
 valley of tears and sorrow. 
 
 O gentle Jesus, I am dead through my sins. 
 Rise l^hou and give me life, and I will trust in 
 Thee. I am sick and feeble ; there is no longer 
 any health in my body. But Thou art the 
 physician, heal Thou me. I am naked and 
 shiver in the cold, clothe Thou me, for Thou 
 art rich. I perish from hunger in this wilder- 
 ness f feed Thou me, for Thou art the bread of 
 life. I thirst ; give Thou me to drink, for Thou 
 art the cup of salvation. I am come into deep 
 waters, so that the floods run over me. I am 
 weary of crying ; my throat is dry. The 
 
104 ^ragcrs of tj^c ^amis 
 
 waters are come in, even unto my soul. Take 
 me out of the mire, that I sink not ; deliver me 
 from the snare of w^icked men, O Lord, my Pro- 
 tector, my Pilot, my Stay, my Refuge, my Guide, 
 my King, my God ! 
 
 Oct. I 
 
 S. REMIGIUS, B. 
 
 HEN shall I come and appear before the 
 face of my God ? O Lord, let Thy 
 glory be manifested unto me, and then 
 shall I be satisfied. My tears have been my 
 meat by day and night. For as the body is 
 satisfied with bread, so is my soul refreshed with 
 the tears of penitence ; for from thence cometh 
 my hope of the remission of sins. 
 
 Oct. 4 
 
 S. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, C 
 I 
 
 Prayer prescribed to the Brethren 
 
 IE adore Thee, O Christ, in all Thy 
 Churches which are in all the world, 
 and we bless Thee, because Thou hast 
 by Thy Holy Cross redeemed the world. 
 
^raticts of t^e ^amts 105 
 
 II 
 
 The Daily Prayet* of S« Francis 
 
 My God, and my all, who art Thou, sweetest 
 Lord, my God ? And who am I, a poor worm, 
 Thy servant ? Holiest Lord, I would love Thee ! 
 Sweetest Lord, I would love Thee ! Lord, my 
 God, I give to Thee all my heart and body, and 
 vehemently desire, if I might know how, to do 
 more for Thy love. 
 
 III 
 
 Now to that God, who has suffered so much 
 for us, who at one giving has conferred on us so 
 many good things, and will yet confer so many 
 more, to this God let every creature who is in 
 Heaven or upon the earth, in the sea or in the 
 depth of the abyss, render praise, glory, honour 
 and blessing. He is himself our virtue and our 
 strength. He alone is good, lofty, almighty, 
 admirable, and glorious ; the only holy, worthy 
 of praise and blessed through ages of ages. 
 Amen. 
 
io6 prayers of tfte faints 
 
 Oct. 6 
 
 S, BRUNO, C 
 
 Prayers before setting out and Founding the 
 Carthusian Monastery 
 
 LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, whose 
 mercy surpasseth all judgment, who 
 rejoicest not in the death of sinners, but 
 rather givest to them time and opportunity for 
 repentance; who didst command Abraham, Thy 
 servant, to leave his land and family and to 
 depart from the home of his father; who didst 
 stretch forth Thy mighty hand and lead Thy 
 people from the land of Egypt; who hast pro- 
 mised pardon to those that do truly and earnestly 
 repent; extend to us now, we beseech Thee, 
 Thy mercy; and graciously send Thy holy 
 messenger from heaven to teach us what we 
 ought to do, to direct our feet in the path of 
 justice and in the ways of Thy commandments, 
 and to show us the place that thou hast chosen, 
 and grant that we may worthily serve Thee 
 there, shunning the dangers of this world and 
 bringing forth fruits meet for repentance. 
 
 Defend us, O Lord, from the snares of our 
 enemies, who are ever eager to destroy us; 
 and enter not into judgment with Thy servants; 
 but, cleansed from all sin by the merit of the 
 
^rancrs of tljc S^nmts 107 
 
 passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, make us, after 
 we have passed from this life, gladly to come to 
 Him, Who is the Way, the Truth, and the 
 Life, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with Thee 
 in the unity of the Holy Spirit liveth and 
 reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen. 
 
 ^ 
 
 II 
 
 Almighty and everlasting God, whose mercy 
 we cannot measure, nor can we tell the times 
 and seasons thereof : Who callest whom Thou 
 wilt, and dost justify and magnify those whom 
 Thou callest ; look, we beseech Thee, with 
 the eyes of Thy clemency upon these Thy 
 humble servants whom Thou hast graciously 
 summoned to the fulfilment of Thy service, and 
 afford them the aid of Thy grace, that they may 
 worthily and perfectly perform the things which 
 are pleasing to Thee. Fill them with Thy 
 venerable virtues, that, so armed, they may be 
 strong to overcome the snares of the world, the 
 flesh and the devil, and thereafter to receive the 
 imperishable crown of victory. Alake them to 
 wax and increase mightily; and graciously receive 
 into the college of Thy saints both these, and 
 those also who follow in their footsteps, and, in 
 the solitude of a life devoted to Thee, persevere 
 in true humility and charity even unto the end. 
 
io8 ^^ragers of tftc gbatnts 
 
 freed from all guilt and sin, through Jesus Christ 
 our Lord, Amen. 
 
 Oct, 6 
 
 S. FAITH, V.M. 
 
 LORD JESUS CHRIST, who art ever 
 ready to help in all things those who are 
 Thine ; succour now Thy servant, and 
 put into my mouth an acceptable speech, where- 
 with I may worthily answer and uphold my 
 faith in the presence of this unrighteous tyrant. 
 
 Oct. 8 
 
 S. BRIGHT OF SWEDEN, W. 
 
 M 
 
 Y Thy grace, O Christ, I have the will to 
 do Thy will all the days of my life. O 
 Lord, who hast created and redeemed me 
 by Thy most precious blood, if Thou seest that 
 I am wanting in faith, hope, or charity, graciously 
 make good my defect according to Thy great 
 mercy. 
 
 O Lord Jesus Christ, I thank Thee for all 
 Thy mercies, and especially for these three : first, 
 that Thou clothest my soul with the garment of 
 repentance and contrition, whereby all sin, how- 
 ever great, is washed away j secondly, that Thou 
 
^raijm of tfie faints 109 
 
 feedest my spirit with the bread of thy charity 
 and the memory of Thy passion, that most 
 delectable feast of the soul ; thirdly, that Thou 
 comfortest all who call upon Thee in tribulation. 
 Have mercy upon me, therefore, O Lord, and 
 strengthen my faith. O Lord, I believe. Help 
 Thou mine unbelief! 
 
 Oct. g 
 
 S, DIONYSIUS 
 
 GOD THE FATHER, Origin of Divi- 
 nity, good beyond all that is good, fair 
 beyond all that is fair, in Whom is 
 calmness, peace, and concord ; do Thou make up 
 the dissensions which divide us from each other, 
 and bring us back into an unity of love, which 
 may bear some likeness to Thy sublime nature. 
 And as Thou art above all things, make us one by 
 the unanimity of a good mind, that through the 
 embrace of charity and the bonds of affection we 
 may be spiritually one, as well in ourselves as in 
 each other, through that peace of Thine which 
 maketh all things peaceful, and through that 
 grace, mercy, and tenderness of Thine Only 
 begotten Son. 
 
no ^ragtrs of t]^c S^aints 
 
 Oct. 14 
 
 S. COSMAS 
 
 AVE mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy 
 upon us, for in Thee have we put our 
 trust. Be not exceeding wroth with us, 
 neither remember our transgressions, but turn 
 again and look on us in Thy loving pity, and 
 deliver us from our enemies. For thou art our 
 Lord and we are Thy people. We are the 
 work of Thy hands, and are called after Thy 
 name. 
 
 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy 
 upon us. Without excuse, without a plea, as 
 servants to a master whom they have wronged, 
 we bring to Thee this prayer. O Lord have 
 mercy upon us.* 
 
 Oct. IS 
 
 S. TERESA, V. 
 
 AYEST Thou be pleased, O God my 
 Treasure, that the time may come in 
 which I may pay some small part of the 
 much I owe Thee. Order, Lord, according to 
 Thy pleasure, some way in which Thy servant 
 may serve Thee in something. Others have 
 been women and have done heroic things for 
 
 * From the Greek Hymns. 
 
trailers of t{)c Sbnmis 
 
 III 
 
 love of Thee : I am only fit to chatter idly, 
 and thus Thou wilt not, my God, entrust me 
 with works. All my service goes in words and 
 desires. Strengthen Thou my soul and first 
 renew within me a right disposition, O Thou 
 Treasure of Treasures ! Order soon the ways 
 in which I can do something for Thee. Here 
 is my life, my honour, and my will : all have I 
 given to Thee. Thine I am ; dispose of me 
 according to Thy will. Well do I see, my 
 Lord, how little I can do ; but close to Thee, 
 aloft in this watch-tower where truth is seen, if 
 Thou dost not leave me, I can do everything. 
 
 Oct. 1 8 
 
 S, LUKE THE EVANGELIST 
 Collect I 
 
 LMIGHTY GOD, who calledst Luke 
 the Physician, whose praise is in the 
 Gospel, to be an Evangelist, and 
 Physician of the soul ; may it please thee that, 
 by the wholesome medicine of the doctrine 
 delivered by him, all the diseases of our souls 
 may be healed ; through the merits of Thy 
 Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
112 ^ragm of tj^e ^nints 
 
 Collect II 
 
 I YIELD Thee hearty thanks, most merciful 
 Father, for those glad tidings of salvation which 
 Thy Evangelist St. Luke hath published to the 
 world, for all the manifestations of Thy holy 
 will, and of that inestimable redemption Thou 
 hast graciously condescended to work out for 
 us ; and for that Thou hast been pleased to 
 regenerate us by Thy Holy Spirit, to receive us 
 for Thine own children by adoption, and to 
 incorporate us into Thy Holy Church. And I 
 humbly beseech Thee to grant that, by the 
 wholesome doctrine of Thy Gospel, all the 
 diseases of my soul may be healed ; that finally, 
 with the residue of Thy holy Church, I may be 
 an inheritor of Thine everlasting kingdom, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 Oct. 2S 
 
 S. CRISPIN, M. 
 
 Pfayef under Torture 
 
 OOK on Thy servants, O Lord, and on 
 Thy creatures, and help us to perfect Thy 
 work without blot or stain. 
 Judge us, O Lord, and deliver us from the 
 hands of impious and crafty men. 
 
 Help us, O Lord God of our salvation, and 
 
^tanns of tje ftafnts 113 
 
 for the glory of Thy name deliver us. Deal not 
 with us after our sins, for Thy Name's sake, lest 
 the people say, " Where is now their God ? " 
 
 We give Thee thanks, O Lord, who taketh 
 us from this life and dost, in Thy most tender 
 mercy, order us to come to Thee. 
 
 Oct. 28 
 S, SIMON AND S. JUDE, AA, M.M, 
 Collect I 
 
 ALMIGHTY GOD, who hast built Thy 
 
 Church upon the foundation of the 
 
 Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ him- 
 self being the head corner-stone ; grant us so to 
 be joined together in unity of spirit by their 
 doctrine, that we may be made an holy temple 
 acceptable unto Thee ; through Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. Amen. 
 
 Collect II 
 
 O God, who by a glorious martyrdom calledst 
 the blessed Apostles Simon and Jude from their 
 eminent labours in Thy vineyard, to a bHssful 
 rest in Thy kingdom ; grant me Thy grace, I 
 beseech Thee, to improve this devout opportunity 
 
 H 
 
114 ^tagm of tje Sbamfs 
 
 of celebrating their memories, both by praising 
 Thee for such excellent instructions, and pressing 
 more lively on myself their saving doctrine and 
 examples, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
 Christ. Ajnen. 
 
 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love be multi- 
 plied. 
 
 Novi^ unto Him that is able to keep you from 
 falling, and to present you faultless before the 
 presence of His glory w^ith exceeding joy, to the 
 only w^ise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, 
 dominion and power, both now^ and ever. Amen. 
 
 Epistle of St. Jude. 
 
 Nov. I 
 
 ALL SAINTS* DAY 
 Collect I 
 
 ALMIGHTY GOD, who hast knit to- 
 gether Thine elect in one communion and 
 fellowship, in the mystical body of Thy 
 Son Christ our Lord ; grant us grace so to 
 follow Thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly 
 living, that we may come to those unspeakable 
 joys, which Thou hast prepared for them that 
 unfeignedly love Thee ; through Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. Amen. 
 
^ragm of tfie faints 115 
 
 Collect II 
 
 Almighty and Everlasting God, who hast 
 enabled Thy Saints not only to believe in Thy 
 Son, but also to suffer for His sake ; extend Thy 
 Divine aid also to our weakness, that as they 
 breathed out their happy souls for the hope of 
 Thine everlasting mercy, we may at least attain 
 it by a sincere confession of Thee ; through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 
 Collect III 
 
 Almighty and Everlasting God, who adornest 
 the sacred body of Thy Church by the confes- 
 sions of Holy Martyrs ; grant us, we pray Thee, 
 that both by their doctrines and their pious 
 example, we may follow after what is pleasing in 
 Thy sight J through Jesus Christ our Lord.* 
 
 Nozf, II 
 S. THEODORE STUDITA 
 
 LORD, who didst give to Thine Apostles 
 peace, shed down upon us all Thy holy 
 calm \ gather together with Thy hand 
 all those who are scattered, and bring them like 
 
 * Leonine. 
 
ii6 ^tagers of t^e faints 
 
 sheep into the fold of Thy holy Church, through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord.* 
 
 Strengthen and confirm me, O Lord, by Thy 
 Cross, on the rock of faith, that my mind be not 
 shaken by the attacks of the enemy. For Thou 
 alone art holy.* 
 
 Thou knowest, O Lord, how many and great 
 are my sins. Thou knowest how often I sin, from 
 day to day, from hour to hour, in the things I do 
 and the things I leave undone. No more, O 
 Lord, no more, O Lord my God, will I provoke 
 Thee ; no more shall my desire be for anything 
 but Thee, for Thou alone art truly lovable. 
 And if again I offend in anything, I humbly 
 beseech Thee of Thy Mercy to grant me strength 
 to find favour again in Thy sight and to live in a 
 manner more pleasing to Thee. Jfnen. 
 
 Nov. i6 
 
 S. EDMUND, Abp* Cantuar 
 From the ** Speculum Ecclesiae ** 
 
 fgS GIVE Thee thanks, O Lord Jesu 
 
 p.ol Chiist, who hast guarded and protected 
 
 me. Thine unworthy servant, with Thy 
 
 presence, through the night that is past, and 
 
 * From the Greek Hymns. 
 
drawers of ftc faints 117 
 
 brought me whole, safe, and unharmed unto this 
 hour, and for all the other benefits which of Thy 
 great goodness Thou hast conferred upon me, 
 bringing me from the dawn even unto the close of 
 this day, who livest and reignest, one God, world 
 without end. Amen. 
 
 II 
 
 Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend at this 
 time my soul and body ; my parents, brothers, 
 sisters, friends and enemies ; my relations and 
 benefactors ; the members of my household and 
 the children of Thy Church. Protect us, O 
 Lord, at this time, from all the faults and lusts of 
 the flesh, and from all the sins and temptations 
 of the devil, from sudden death and the pains of 
 hell. Pour into my heart the Light of Thy 
 Holy Spirit and of Thy Grace, and make me 
 ever obedient to Thy commands and let me not 
 be for ever estranged from Thee, who with God 
 the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest 
 one God, world without end. Amen. 
 
 ^ 
 
ii8 ^rai)crs of t!)e ^amts 
 
 Nov. ig 
 
 S. ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY, W. 
 
 Prayer at the Shrine of her Husband 
 
 ORD, I give Thee thanks that Thou 
 hast consoled me by bringing back to 
 me the bones of my dear husband. Thou 
 knowest how greatly I have loved him ; and yet 
 I do not repine at his being taken from me. O 
 Lord, I would give the whole world if I might 
 but have him back, that we two might trudge 
 together, begging our bread. And yet, if that 
 be contrary to Thy will, I would not give one 
 hair of my head to buy him back. And now I 
 commend him and myself to Thy grace, and Thy 
 Will be done. <i/I?nen. 
 
 Nov. 21 
 
 S. GELASIUS 
 
 GOD, of unchangeable power and eternal 
 light, look favourably on Thy whole 
 Church, that wonderful and sacred mys- 
 tery ; and by the tranquil operation of Thy 
 perpetual Providence, carry out the work of 
 man's salvation ; and let the whole world feel 
 and see that things which were cast down are 
 being raised up, and things which had grown old 
 are being made new, and all things are returning 
 to perfection through Him from Whom they 
 
^rnncrs of tfte faints 119 
 
 took their origin, ever through our Lord Jesus 
 Christ.* dimen. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Almighty and Everlasting God, the comfort of 
 the sad, the Strength of sufferers, let the prayers 
 of those that cry out of any tribulation come unto 
 Thee ; that all may rejoice to find that Thy 
 mercy is present with them in their afflictions, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jmen, 
 
 ^ 
 
 May Thy perpetual gifts, O Lord, be confirmed 
 to Thy faithful servants, that in receiving them 
 they may seek Thee, and in seeking Thee may 
 endlessly receive them, through Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. Amen. 
 
 O MOST Merciful God, vi^ho, according to the 
 multitude of Thy mercies, dost so put away the 
 sins of those who truly repent, that thou remem- 
 berest them no more ; open Thine Eye of 
 mercy upon this Thy servant, who most earnestly 
 desireth pardon and forgiveness. Renew in him, 
 Most Loving Father, whatsoever hath been 
 
 * From the Gelasian Sacramentary (Bright). 
 
120 ^ragm of tf)e faints 
 
 decayed by the fraud and malice of the devil or 
 by his own carnal will and frailness ; preserve 
 and continue this sick member in the unity of 
 Thy Church ; consider his contrition, accept 
 his tears, assuage his pain, as shall seem to Thee 
 most expedient for him. And forasmuch as he 
 putteth his full trust only in Thy mercy, impute 
 not unto him his former sins, but strengthen 
 him with Thy Blessed Spirit, and when Thou 
 art pleased to take him hence, take him unto 
 Thy favour, through the merits of Thy most 
 dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord.* 
 
 Nov, 21 
 
 S, COLUMBANUS, Abb* 
 
 LORD, I beseech Thee, in the name of 
 Jesus Christ, Thy Son, my God, bestow 
 upon me that love which cannot fail, 
 that my lamp may be lit and never extinguished, 
 and that it may burn for me and lighten the 
 paths of others. Do Thou, O Christ, our most 
 sweet Saviour, graciously light our lamps, that 
 they may burn for ever in Thy temple, and receive 
 a never-dying light from Thee, the Light that 
 
 * From the Order for the Visitation of the Sick, 
 in our Book of Common Prayer ; a free translation 
 of the " Reconciliatio Poenitentis ad mortem " in 
 the Gelasian Sacramentary. 
 
^rams of tfte faints 121 
 
 never dies. So lighten our darkness that the 
 darkness of this world may flee from us. 
 
 Be it Thine, O most loving Saviour, to show 
 Thyself to us who are knocking at the gate, 
 that knowing Thee we may love Thee only, 
 long for Thee only, and ever, night and day, 
 think only on Thee. Graciously fill us with such 
 love that we may love Thee as we ought. Let 
 Thy love fill all our hearts, and Thy charity 
 wholly possess us, so that we may not know how 
 to love anything but Thee, who art everlasting. 
 Inspire in our hearts Thy love in such measure 
 that the waters of the heavens, the earth, and the 
 sea may not be able to extinguish it. Grant 
 this, O Lord, through Thy Son Jesus Christ our 
 Lord, to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, 
 be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 Noz'. 2j 
 S. CLEMENT (of Rome), B*M* 
 
 Prayer before partaking of the Holy Sacrament 
 
 GOD, who art great, great in name and 
 counsel, powerful in Thy works, the 
 God and Father of Thy Holy Son Jesus, 
 our Saviour, look upon us. Thy flock, which 
 Thou hast chosen through Him to the glory of 
 Thy Name ; sanctify us in body and soul, and 
 grant that we, being purified from all filthiness 
 
122 drawers of tfie ^atnts 
 
 of flesh and spirit, may partake of the mystic 
 blessings now going before Thee, and judge 
 none of us unworthy of them, but be Thou our 
 Supporter, our Helper, and Defender, through 
 Thy Christ, with whom glory, honour, laud, 
 praise, thanksgiving, be to Thee and the Holy 
 Ghost for ever.* Amen. 
 
 ye 
 
 O God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, Thine only begotten Son, give me a 
 body unstained, a pure heart, a watchful mind, 
 and an upright understanding, and the presence 
 of Thy Holy Spirit, that I may obtain and ever 
 hold fast to an unshaken faith in Thy Truth, 
 through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord ; 
 through whom be glory to Thee in the Holy 
 Ghost, for ever and ever.* Amen. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who hast nourished 
 me from my youth up, who givest food to all 
 flesh. Fill our hearts with joy and gladness, 
 that we, always having all sufliciency in all 
 things, may abound to every good work in Christ 
 Jesus our Lord, through whom to Thee be glory, 
 honour, might, majesty, and dominion, for ever 
 and ever.* Amen. 
 
 * From the Clementine Liturgy. 
 
^ramrs of tfte ^amts 123 
 
 Nov. JO 
 
 S, ANDREW, A,M. 
 Collect I 
 
 LMIGHTY GOD, who didst give such 
 grace unto Thy holy Apostle Saint 
 Andrew, that he readily obeyed the call- 
 ing of Thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed Him 
 without delay ; grant unto us all, that we, being 
 called by Thy Holy Word, may forthwith give 
 up ourselves obediently to fulfil Thy holy com- 
 mandments, through the same Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. Amen. 
 
 Collect II 
 
 O God, whose grace kindled in the blessed 
 Apostle Andrew so ardent a love of his Master, 
 that it flamed out in vehement desires of His 
 Cross ; grant that my devout celebration of the 
 memory of his holy race and happy reward may 
 quicken Thy grace in my heart, and encourage 
 me, with confidence and joy, to undergo what- 
 ever sufferings Thy blessed Providence shall cast 
 in my way. Preserve me steadfast in the belief 
 of Thy heavenly truths, and undaunted in the 
 profession of them. Enable me to trust in Thy 
 goodness for support and deliverance under all 
 
124 ^ragets of ftt faints 
 
 persecutions, and to fix my faith on those 
 heavenly joys with which the afflictions of this 
 Hfe are not worthy to be compared ; that being 
 made partaker of the sufferings of Christ, I may 
 be glad with exceeding joy when His glory shall 
 be revealed ; to whom with Thee, O Father, 
 and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, 
 world without end. Amen. 
 
 Dec. 21 
 
 S* THOMAS, A*M, 
 
 Collect I 
 
 LMIGHTY AND EVER-LIVING 
 GOD, who, for the more confirma- 
 tion of the faith, didst suffer Thy holy 
 Apostle Thomas to be doubtful in Thy Son's re- 
 surrection, grant us so perfectly, and without all 
 doubt, to believe m Thy Son Jesus Christ, that 
 our faith in Thy sight may never be reproved. 
 Hear us, O Lord, through the same Jesus Christ, 
 to whom, v/ith Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all 
 honour and glory, now and for evermore. Amen, 
 
 Collect II 
 
 O Almighty and Everlasting God, who for 
 the more confirmation of the faith, didst suffer 
 Thy holy Apostle Thomas to be doubtful in 
 
^ragers of rte Sbatnts 125 
 
 Thy Son's resurrection, grant me so perfectly 
 and without all doubt to believe in Thy Son 
 Jesus Christ, that my faith in Thy sight may 
 never be reproved. Assist me in Thy grace to 
 mortify all the inordinate and corrupt inclina- 
 tions of my heart which oppose the belief of 
 Thy heavenly truths. Enable me to conquer 
 my evil habits and govern my unruly passions, 
 that they may not indispose my mind for em- 
 bracing that evidence which so plentifully accom- 
 panies Thy divine revelations to the sons of 
 men. Let not the scandalous divisions among 
 Christians, nor the ill lives of those who profess 
 Thy holy religion, ever stagger or weaken my 
 belief of it, since love, and peace, and unity are 
 the marks of Thy true disciples ; and Thy 
 wrath is revealed from Heaven against all who 
 obey not the Gospel of Thy Son. Keep my 
 mind free from all prejudice, which puts so false 
 a bias on the understanding, even in matters of 
 the greatest importance, and which may prove 
 so fatal and destructive to my eternal welfare ; 
 that, seeing the reasonableness of those things 
 Thou hast required to be believed, the perfection 
 of those duties Thou hast enjoined to be prac- 
 tised, and the power and force of those motives 
 upon which both are founded, I may be steadfast 
 and immovable, and at last receive the end of my 
 faith, even the salvation of my soul, through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 " My Lord and my God." John xx. 28. 
 
126 ^ragm of iftc ^ntnts 
 
 Dec. 2S 
 
 CHRISTMAS DAY 
 Collect I 
 
 LMIGHTY GOD, who hast given us 
 Thy only begotten Son to take our 
 nature upon Him, and as at this time to 
 be born of a pure Virgin, grant that we, being 
 regenerate, and made Thy children by adoption 
 and grace, may daily be renewed by Thy Holy 
 Spirit, through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the 
 same Spirit, ever one God, world without end. 
 Amen. 
 
 Collect II 
 
 Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, to Thy 
 people an inviolable firmness of faith, that as 
 they confess Thine only begotten Son, the ever- 
 lasting partaker of Thy glory, to have been born 
 in our very flesh, of the Virgin Mother, they 
 may be delivered from present adversities, and 
 admitted into joys that shall abide j through the 
 same Jesus Christ our Lord.* 
 
 * Leonine. 
 
^Ptapers of i\)t ^amts 127 
 
 Collect III 
 
 Almighty and Everlasting God, who hast 
 hallowed this day by the Incarnation of Thy 
 Word, and the Child-bearing of the Blessed 
 Virgin Mary ; grant Thy people to share in 
 this celebration, that they who have been re- 
 deemed by Thy grace may be happy as Thine 
 adopted children ; through the same Jesus 
 Christ our Lord.* 
 
 He that, as Job saith, taketh the vast body of 
 the sea, turns it to and fro as a little child, and 
 rolls it about with the swaddling bands of dark- 
 ness ; He to lie there, the Lord of Glory, with- 
 out all glory ! Instead of a palace, a poor stable ; 
 of a cradle of state, a beast's cratch ; no pillow 
 but a lock of hay ; no hangings but dust and 
 cobweb ! Christ, though as yet He cannot speak, 
 yet out of His crib, as a pulpit, this day preaches 
 to us, and His theme is, " Learn of Me, for I 
 am humble." This is the precipe of the pf-asepe^ 
 as I may call it, the lesson of Christ's cratch. 
 
 (Bishop z/indrewes.) 
 
 " Glory to God in the highest, and on earth 
 peace, goodwill toward men." Luke ii. 14. 
 
 * Gelasian. 
 
128 ^ragm of tjbt faints 
 
 Dec. 26 
 
 S. STEPHEN, M. 
 Collect I 
 
 RANT, O Lord, that in all our sufferings 
 here upon earth for the testimony of 
 Thy truth, we may steadfastly look up to 
 Heaven, and by faith behold the glory which 
 shall be revealed ; and being filled with the Holy 
 Ghost, may learn to love and bless our persecu- 
 tors by the example of Thy first martyr. Saint 
 Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to Thee, 
 O Blessed Jesus, who standest at the right hand 
 of God to succour all those that suffer for Thee, 
 our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen. 
 
 %H 
 
 Collect II 
 
 Teach me, O blessed Jesus, to lay aside all 
 angry and revengeful thoughts against my 
 bitterest enemies, because Thou requirest it, and 
 hast shown me the way by Thine own perfect 
 example ; who tookest pity upon fallen man 
 when he was in a state of enmity against Thee, 
 and without importunity or application, didst 
 admit him to terms of pardon and reconciliation, 
 and didst pray for Thy persecutors, under the 
 
^raum of tfie faints 129 
 
 sense and smart of those sufferings they inflicted 
 in the very agony and bitterness of death. 
 Teach me, therefore, to bear all malice with 
 meekness and patience, and to return all offices 
 of charity for affronts and indignities. Make 
 me placable and ready to forgive, and candid in 
 interpreting every word and action for the best. 
 And do Thou, O blessed Jesus, forgive all my 
 enemies and recover them to a right sense of 
 things, and make me ready to be reconciled ; 
 and enable me, by Thy grace, so to tread in the 
 steps of Thy first martyr. Saint Stephen, who 
 prayed that his innocent blood might not be laid 
 to the charge of his inhuman murderers, that I 
 may receive pardon from Thee, as I readily 
 grant it to my enemies, without which I am 
 undone to all eternity. And, in all my sufferings 
 for Thy truth, enable me, like that glorious 
 martyr, to look steadfastly up to Heaven, and, by 
 faith, to behold the glory that shall be revealed. 
 Grant this, O Lord Jesus, who standest at the 
 right hand of God to succour all those who 
 suffer for Thee, our only Mediator and Advo- 
 cate. J?nen. 
 
 Prayer of S* Stephen 
 
 And they stoned Stephen calling upon God, 
 and saying. Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 
 
 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud 
 
130 ^ragm of tjbc faints 
 
 voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. 
 And when he had said this he fell asleep. 
 Jets vii. 59, 60. 
 
 Dec. 27 
 
 S. JOHN, A.E. 
 
 Collect I 
 
 ERCIFUL LORD, we beseech Thee to 
 cast Thy bright beams of light upon 
 Thy Church, that it, being enlightened 
 by the doctrine of Thy blessed Apostle and 
 Evangelist Saint John, may so walk in the light 
 of Thy truth, that it may at length attain to the 
 light ot everlasting life ; through Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. A?nen. 
 
 Collect II 
 Prayer of S* John 
 
 He which testifieth these things saith. Surely I 
 come quickly. Amen. Even so, come. Lord 
 Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be 
 with you all. Jmen, Rev. xxii. 20, 21. 
 
 ^ 
 
drawers of tje ^amts 131 
 
 Collect III 
 
 O God, by the prerogative of whose special 
 grace the blessed Apostle Saint John obtained 
 that transcendent character of the disciple whom 
 Jesus loved, and after became the great teacher 
 of mutual charity all over the world, grant, I 
 beseech Thee, that his sacred memory may 
 excite me also, and encourage me, to have the 
 same purity of body and mind, the same steady 
 love of Thee, and sincere charity to my neigh- 
 bour, that I may aspire after some share in that 
 blessed title and its happy consequents. Thy 
 grace here, and Thy glory hereafter, through 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and 
 reigneth one God with Thee and the Holy 
 Ghost, world without end. Amen. 
 
 Dec. 28 
 
 THE HOLY INNOCENTS, M,M. 
 Collect I 
 
 ALMIGHTY GOD, who, out of the 
 mouths of babes and sucklings, hast 
 ordained strength, and madest infants to 
 glorify Thee by their deaths, mortify and kill all 
 vices in us, and so strengthen us by Thy grace, 
 that by the innocency of our hves and constancy 
 
132 ^ragm of tfic faints 
 
 of our faith, even unto death, we may glorify 
 Thy holy Name ; through Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. Amen. 
 
 Oft 
 
 Collect II 
 
 O God, who by the death of the Holy Innocents, 
 out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast 
 perfected praise, and hast taught Thy Church 
 that no age or occasion of suffering for our 
 Saviour is exempt from reward ; grant, I beseech 
 Thee, that my celebrating this festival may make 
 me adore this gracious dispensation of Thy 
 Providence. And how severely soever Thou at 
 any time seemest to treat me, grant that my 
 heart may be confirmed in an entire resignation 
 to Thy will, and assured that all my sufferings 
 shall conduce to my eternal advantage, through 
 our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. 
 
 S. AUSTIN 
 
 ORD, teach me to know Thee, and to 
 know myself. 
 
 %H 
 
^ragcrs of tje faints 133 
 
 Dec. 2g 
 S. THOMAS OF CANTERBURY, M, 
 
 If^lET us pray that our faith may not fail in 
 li,^! tribulation, but that we may say with 
 the Apostle, "Neither death, nor life, 
 nor angels, nor any other creature, shall separate 
 us from the love of God." * 
 
 * Letter to the Clergy. 
 
J^ragevjBJ of d?amou0 JWen 
 
J^iaatrg; of dFamouji iMeit 
 
 FROM THE LAMENTATION OF 
 ORIGEN 
 
 The Prayer of the Fallen Priest 
 
 LAS ! what have I felt, and how am I 
 fallen ? Alas ! how am I thus come to 
 nought ? There is no sorrow com- 
 parable unto my sorrow, there is no affliction 
 that exceedeth my affliction, there is no bitter- 
 ness that passeth my bitterness, there is no 
 lamentation more lamentable than mine, neither 
 is there any sin greater than my sin, and there is 
 no salve for me. Where is that good Shepherd 
 of Souls ? Where is He that went down from 
 Jerusalem to Jericho who also salved and cured 
 him that was wounded of the thieves ? 
 
 Seek me out, O Lord, who am fallen from 
 the higher Jerusalem, who have broken the vow 
 I made in Baptism, who have profaned my cog- 
 nisance in that I dealt impiously with Thy 
 blessed Name. Alas that ever I was doctor, and 
 now occupy not the room of a disciple. Thou 
 
138 ^ragns of jpamous Mtn 
 
 knowest, O Lord, that I fell against my will ; 
 when as I went about to brighten others I 
 darkened myself, when I endeavoured to bring 
 others from death to life, I brought myself from 
 life to death, when I minded to present others 
 before God, I presented myself before the 
 devil. 
 
 Assist me, O Holy Spirit, and give me grace 
 to repent. Let the fountains of tears be opened, 
 and gush out into streams, to see if that per- 
 adventure I may have the grace worthily and 
 thoroughly to repent, and to wipe out of the 
 book of the conscience the accusation presented 
 against me. But Thou, O think not upon 
 polluted lips, neither weigh Thou the tongue 
 that hath uttered lewd things ; but accept Thou 
 repentance, affliction and bitter tears, the labour 
 of the heart and the heaviness of the soul and 
 have mercy upon me, and raise me up from out 
 of the mire of corruption, for the slough thereof 
 hath even choked me up. Woe is me that some- 
 time was a pearl glistering in the golden garland 
 of glory, but now thrown into the dust and 
 trodden in the mire of contempt. 
 
 But, O Lord, I fall down before Thy mercy 
 seat ; have mercy upon me who mourn thus out 
 of measure, who have greatly offended, who 
 have shed many salt and bitter tears, whose 
 miserable case every creature hath lamented. 
 Why hast Thou broken down my hedge and 
 strongholds ? The wild boar out of the wood 
 hath destroyed me, and the wild beast of the 
 
pinners of jpamous iiUcn 139 
 
 field hath eaten me up. Rid me, O Lord, from 
 the roaring lion. The whole assembly of saints 
 doth make intercession unto Thee for me, who 
 am an unprofitable servant. The whole choir 
 of angels do intreat for me, who have grievously 
 offended ; that Thou wilt show mercy unto the 
 wandering sheep, that is subject to the rending 
 teeth of the ravenous wolf. Save me, O Lord, 
 out of his mouth, suffer me not to become the 
 sacrifice of sin, but let down upon me Thine 
 Holy Spirit, that 1 may be brought home again 
 unto Thy wisdom, that the bill of sin written 
 against me may be blotted out, that my lamenta- 
 tion may cease in the evening and receive joy in 
 the morning. Let my sackcloth be rent asunder, 
 and gird me with joy and gladness. Let me be 
 received again into the joy of my God : let me 
 be thought worthy of His kingdom, through the 
 prayers and intercession of the saints, through 
 the earnest petitions of the Church, which 
 sorroweth over me, and humbleth herself unto 
 Jesus Christ ; to whom with the Father and the 
 Holy Ghost be all glory and honour for ever and 
 ever. Ainen, 
 
 PRAYER OF SIR THOMAS MORE 
 
 LORD GOD, grant that I may en- 
 deavour to get those things for which I 
 am to pray unto Thee. 
 
140 ^tagm of jpamous M^n 
 
 THE PRAYERS OF SIR RICHARD 
 STEELE 
 
 On Entet*ing the Mamed State 
 
 I 
 
 GOD ALMIGHTY, who hast been 
 pleased, out of Thy righteous mercy and 
 careful providence, to place us two in 
 the state of marriage, according to Thine own 
 institution and guidance of the first mortals ; 
 grant, we beseech Thee, that we may Hve in 
 that state with mutual love, and that we en- 
 deavour to accommodate ourselves to each other's 
 just desires and satisfactions ; that we may be a 
 mutual help in all vicissitudes of life through 
 which Thou hast designed us to pass, in such 
 manner as we may contribute to each other's 
 virtue in this world, and salvation in that which 
 is to come. Protect us, O Lord, most mighty ; 
 bless us, O Merciful Father ; and redeem us, O 
 Holy Saviour ! Guard our paths from error, and 
 keep our eyes from introducing wandering desires; 
 but grant such peace and tranquillity of mind, 
 and such a steady course of virtue and piety, 
 that we may be at Thy altar never-failing com- 
 municants, and by a worthy receipt of the 
 elements representing Thy meritorious passion, 
 we may, through that, be partakers of eternal 
 life ; which Thou hast taught us. Our Father, 
 which art in Heaven, &c. 
 
prayers of Jpamous i^cu 141 
 II 
 
 Almighty God, who of Thine infinite goodness 
 and mercy didst create and dost preserve all 
 things both in Heaven and earth ; look down 
 with an eye of mercy on us, whom Thy good 
 providence hast ordained to live together in holy 
 matrimony. Grant, O God, that no allurement, 
 passion, jealousy, plenty or want, may so far 
 transport us as to make us forget a sacred vow, 
 made to each other and before Thee. 
 
 Let us, O Lord, with a lively, cheerful and 
 habitual sense of such our obligations, check the 
 first motives to anger and distress, and cherish 
 all and omit none the least instances of tender- 
 ness and goodwill ; so shall we enjoy and pass 
 through this human transient Hfe, in a daily 
 preparation for one that is celestial and eternal : 
 not regarding posterity so as to forget eternity ; 
 yet believing it not displeasing in Thy sight, 
 that in our way to a certain and unchangeable 
 being, we neglect not a provision for such as 
 Thou mayst make us instruments to introduce 
 into one that is various and uncertain. This, 
 and whatever else Thy omnificent wisdom sees 
 necessary for us, with relation to ourselves and 
 the whole race of mankind, we beseech Thee, O 
 Father of all things, bestow upon us. All which 
 we beg in Thy Name, and through the mediation 
 of Jesus Christ, who hath taught us, in a perfect 
 and an unblamable manner to approach Thee, 
 saying, Our Father, Sec, 
 
142 ^lauers of jpamous 0im 
 
 THE PRAYER OF SIR WALTER 
 RALEIGH 
 
 HE Everlasting God, powerful, infinite, 
 and inscrutable, God Almighty, who is 
 goodness itself, the true light and life, 
 keep you and yours and have mercy upon me 
 and forgive my persecutors and false accusers ; 
 and send us to meet in His glorious kingdom. 
 My dear wife, farewell ; bless my boy, pray for 
 me ; and let my true God hold you both in His 
 arms. 
 
 ye 
 
 THE PRAYER OF WILLIAM 
 PENN 
 
 LORD GOD ! Thou lovest holiness, 
 and purity is Thy delight in the earth : 
 wherefore I pray Thee make an end of 
 sin and finish transgression, and bring in Thy 
 everlasting righteousness to the souls of men, 
 that Thy poor creation may be delivered from 
 the bondage it groans under, and the earth enjoy 
 her Sabbath again : that Thy great name may 
 be lifted up in all nations, and Thy salvation re- 
 nowned to the ends of the world. For Thine is 
 the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, for 
 ever. Amen, 
 
prayers of jpamous i^cn 143 
 
 BISHOP WILSON 
 
 E gracious, O Lord, to all my relations, 
 benefactors, enemies, and all that have 
 desired my prayers ; all who, by their 
 own labours, do minister to our necessities, to- 
 gether with all our known and unknown bene- 
 factors. Render, O God, a good return to all 
 those who have been kind and charitable. Grant 
 that we may all so live here as that we may meet 
 hereafter in the paradise of God. 
 
 Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall 
 ask the Father in my name. He will give it 
 you. yohn xvi. 23. 
 
 These are what I ask, O God, O Father, above 
 all things for myself, and for all that have desired 
 my prayers. That we may be restored to Thy 
 likeness and never deface it by our sins 5 that 
 the image of Satan may be destroyed in us ; and 
 that all carnal affections may die in us, and that 
 all things belonging to the Spirit may dwell in 
 our hearts by faith ; that Thy Name and the 
 name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified 
 in us and we in Him ; that our hearts may be 
 entirely Thine. That we may never grieve 
 Thy Holy Spirit, but that we may continue 
 Thine for ever, for Jesus Christ's sake. J?nen. 
 
 ^ 
 
144 drapers of jpamous 0im 
 
 O God, almighty and merciful, let Thy 
 fatherly kindness be upon all whom Thou hast 
 made. Hear the prayers of all that call upon 
 Thee ; open the eyes of them that never pray 
 for themselves ; pity the sighs of such as are in 
 misery ; deal mercifully with them that are in 
 darkness ; and increase the number of graces of 
 such as fear and serve Thee daily. Preserve this 
 land from the misfortune of war ; this Church 
 from all dangerous errors ; this people from for- 
 getting Thee their Lord and Benefactor. Be 
 gracious to all those countries that are made 
 desolate by the sword, famine, pestilence, or per- 
 secution. Bless all persons and places to which 
 Thy providence hast made me a debtor ; all who 
 have been instrumental to my good by their 
 assistance, advice or example ; and make me in 
 my turn useful to others. Let none of those 
 that desire my prayers want Thy mercy, but 
 defend and comfort and conduct them through 
 to their Hves' end. 
 
 From sudden, from unprepared death, good 
 Lord deliver me, my family, and all that de- 
 sire my prayers. May we never be surprised 
 in sin ; and may Thy mercy supply what- 
 ever shall be wanting in our preparation for 
 death. 
 
 For myself, with the submission of a penitent 
 sinner, under the righteous sentence of death 
 passed upon all mankind, I beg that I may so live, 
 as that I may with joy resign my life a sacrifice 
 
^tapers of Jfamous 0itn 145 
 
 of obedience, in union with that of my Saviour's, 
 to Thee, O Father, trusting in Thy mercy and 
 goodness and promises in Jesus Christ, at the 
 hour of death, and in the day of judgment. 
 
 This is indeed the first and great command, 
 to love Thee, O God, with all our heart ; for 
 on this depends our salvation. But even this 
 must be the gift of Thy grace -, for this grace I 
 now apply to Thee, to make my love and fear of 
 Thee the governing principles of my whole life ; 
 that I may always do what I believe will please 
 Thee : that I may carefully avoid what I know 
 will offend Thee : and that I may live as having 
 Thee the constant witness of my thoughts, words 
 and actions. 
 
 Give me a steadfast faith in Thy words and 
 promises ; a firm trust in Thy power. Let the 
 fear of Thy justice keep me from presumption , 
 and a sense of Thy goodness from despair. De- 
 fend me from all those bewitching snares which 
 destroy our love of Thee ; from worldly cares, 
 from sensual and sinful pleasures ; from evil com- 
 pany ; from foolish diversions ; and from every- 
 thing that may make me forget that Thou alone 
 art worthy to be feared and loved ; grant me 
 these mercies for Thy Son Jesus Christ His sake. 
 
146 drapers of jFamous 0im 
 
 THE PRAYERS OF SAMUEL 
 JOHNSON, LL,D, 
 
 On his Birthday 
 
 I GOD, the Creator and Preserver of man- 
 kind, Father of all mercies, I, Thine 
 unworthy servant, do give Thee most 
 humble thanks for all Thy goodness and loving 
 kindness to me. I bless Thee for my creation, 
 preservation and redemption, for the knowledge 
 of Thy Son Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, 
 the hope of glory. 
 
 In the days of childhood and youth, in the 
 midst of weakness, blindness and danger. Thou 
 hast protected me ; amidst afflictions of mind, 
 body, and estate Thou hast supported me ; and 
 amidst vanity and weakness Thou hast spared 
 me. Grant, O most merciful Father, that I 
 may have a lively sense of Thy mercies. Create in 
 me a contrite heart, that I may worthily lament 
 my sins and acknowledge my wickedness, and 
 obtain remission and forgiveness through the 
 satisfaction of Jesus Christ. 
 
 And, O Lord, enable me, by Thy grace, to 
 redeem the time I have spent in sloth, vanity and 
 wickedness, and to make useful gifts to the 
 honour of Thy Name, to lead a new life in Thy 
 faith, fear and love, and finally to obtain ever- 
 lasting life. 
 
 Grant this, Almighty Lord, for the merits, and 
 
^ra^fts of jpamous 0im 147 
 
 through the mediation of our most holy and blessed 
 Saviour, Jesus Christ, to whom, with Thee, and 
 the Holy Ghost, three persons in one God, be 
 all honour and glory, world without end. Ji 
 
 unen. 
 
 %H 
 
 On his Wife's Death 
 
 Almighty and most merciful Father, who lovest 
 those whom Thou punishest and turnest away 
 Thine anger from the penitent, look down with 
 pity upon my sorrows and grant that the afflic- 
 tion which it has pleased Thee to bring upon me 
 may awaken my conscience, enforce my resolu- 
 tions of a better life, and impress upon me such 
 conviction of Thy power and goodness, that I 
 may place in Thee all my felicity, and endeavour 
 to please Thee in all my thoughts, words and 
 actions. Grant, O Lord, that I may not languish 
 in fruitless and unavailing sorrow, but that I may 
 consider from whose hand all good and evil is 
 received, and may remember that I am punished 
 for my sins, and hope for comfort only by repent- 
 ance. Grant, O merciful God, that, by the 
 assistance of Thy Holy Spirit, I may repent and 
 be comforted, obtain that peace which the world 
 cannot give, pass the residue of my life in humble 
 resignation and cheerful obedience 3 and when it 
 shall please Thee to call me from this mortal 
 state, resign myself into Thine hands with faith 
 
148 ^ragm of jpamous Mtn 
 
 and confidence, and finally obtain mercy and 
 everlasting happiness, for the sake of Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. Jmen, 
 
 On Beginning a New "Work 
 
 Almighty God, the giver of all good things, 
 without whose help all labour is ineffectual, and 
 without whose grace all wisdom is folly ; grant, 
 I beseech Thee, that in this, my undertaking. 
 Thy Holy Spirit may not be withheld from me, 
 but that I may promote Thy glory, and the sal- 
 vation both of myself and others ; grant this, O 
 Lord, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Jmen. 
 
 ^ 
 
 On Entering a New State of Life 
 
 Almighty God, Heavenly Father, who hast 
 graciously prolonged my life to this time, and by 
 the change of outward things which I am now 
 to make, callest me to a change of inward affec- 
 tions and to a reformation of my thoughts, words 
 and practices ; vouchsafe, merciful Lord, that 
 this call may not be m vain. Forgive me what- 
 ever has been amiss in the state which I am 
 now leaving, idleness and neglect of Thy word 
 and worship. Grant me the grace of Thy Holy 
 
prayers of Jpamous iWen 149 
 
 Spirit, that the course which I am now beginning 
 may proceed according to Thy laws, and end in 
 the enjoyment of Thy favour. Give me, O 
 Lord, pardon and peace, that I may serve Thee 
 with humble confidence, and after this life, enjoy 
 Thy presence in eternal happiness. 
 
 And, O Lord, so far as it may be lawful for 
 me, I commend to Thy fatherly goodness my 
 father, my brother, my wife, my mother. I 
 beseech Thee to look mercifully upon them, and 
 grant them whatever may most promote their 
 present and eternal joy. 
 
 O Lord, hear my prayers for Jesus Christ's 
 sake, to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost, 
 three persons and one God, be all honour and 
 glory, world without end. Amen, 
 
 ^ 
 
 On the Day of his Mother's Burial 
 
 Almighty God, merciful Father, in whose hands 
 are life and death, sanctify unto me the sorrows 
 which I feel. Forgive me whatever I have done 
 unkindly to my mother, and whatever I have 
 omitted to do kindly. Make me to remember 
 her good precepts and good example, and to 
 reform my life according to Thy holy word, 
 that I may lose no more opportunities of good. 
 I am sorrowful, O Lord^; let not my sorrow be 
 without fruit. Let it be followed by holy resolu- 
 
150 ^ragm of jpamous J^cn 
 
 tions and lasting amendment, that when I shall 
 die, like my mother, I may be received to ever- 
 lasting life. 
 
 I commend, O Lord, so far as it may be lawful, 
 into Thy hands, the soul of my departed mother, 
 beseeching Thee to grant her whatever is most 
 beneficial to her in her present state. 
 
 O Lord, grant me Thy Holy Spirit, and have 
 mercy upon me, for Jesus Christ's sake. 
 
 And, O Lord, grant unto me, that am now 
 about to return to the common comforts and 
 business of the world, such moderation in all 
 enjoyments, such diligence in honest labour, and 
 such purity of mind, that amidst the changes, 
 miseries or pleasures of life, I may keep my mind 
 fixed upon Thee, and improve every day in grace, 
 till I shall be received into Thy kingdom of eternal 
 happiness. 
 
 THE PRAYER OF JOHN 
 DONNE, D,D, 
 
 In the Time of Sickness 
 
 ETERNAL AND MOST GRA- 
 CIOUS GOD, who calledst down fire 
 from Heaven upon the sinful cities, but 
 once, and openedst the earth to swallow the 
 murmurers, but once, and threwest down the 
 tower of Siloam upon sinners, but once, but for 
 
^raum of jpamous i^cn 151 
 
 Thy works of mercy repeatest them often and 
 still workest by Thine own patterns, as Thou 
 broughtest man into this world, by giving him a 
 helper fit for him ; so whether it be Thy will to 
 continue me long thus or to dismiss me by death, 
 be pleased to afford me the help fit for both con- 
 ditions, either for my weak stay here, or my final 
 transmigration hence. And if Thou mayest 
 receive glory by that way (and by all ways 
 Thou mayest receive glory), glorify Thyself by 
 preserving this body from such infection, as 
 might withhold those, who would come or en- 
 danger them who do come : and preserve this 
 soul, in the faculties thereof, from all such dis- 
 tempers as might shake the assurance which 
 myself and others have had, that, because Thou 
 hast loved me. Thou wouldest love me, to my 
 end, and at my end. Open none of my doors, 
 not of my heart, not of my ears, not of my house, 
 to any supplanter that would enter to undermine 
 me in my religion, in the time of my sickness : 
 or to defame me and magnify himself with false 
 rumours of such a victory and surprisal of me, 
 after I am dead. 
 
 Be my salvation and plead my salvation ; work 
 it and declare it ; and as Thy triumphant shall 
 be, so let the militant Church be, assured that 
 Thou wast my God and I Thy servant to and in 
 my consummation. Amen. 
 
 ^ 
 
152 ^raDcvs of Jpamous i^m 
 
 THE PRAYERS OF BR TEREMY 
 TAYLOR, D.D. 
 
 Fof the Morning 
 
 LESS me, gracious God, in my calling to 
 
 such purposes as Thou shalt choose for 
 me or employ me in : relieve me in all 
 my sadnesses : make my bed in my sickness : 
 give me patience in my sorrows, confidence in 
 Thee, and grace to call upon Thee in all tempta- 
 tions. O be Thou my guide in all my actions ; 
 my protector in all dangers ; give me a healthful 
 body and a clear understanding ; a sanctified and 
 just, a charitable and humble, a religious and 
 a contented spirit ; let not my life be miserable 
 and wretched ; nor my name stained with sin 
 and shame ; nor my condition Hfted up to a 
 tempting and dangerous fortune ; but let my 
 condition be blessed, my conversation useful to 
 my neighbours and pleasing to Thee ; that when 
 my body shall lie down in its bed of darkness, my 
 soul may pass into the regions of light, and live 
 with Thee for ever, through Jesus Christ. Amen. 
 
 For the Evening 
 
 I 
 
 O Eternal God, great Father of men and 
 angels, who hast established the heavens and the 
 
trailers of famous i^nt 153 
 
 earth in a wonderful order, making day and night 
 to succeed each other, I make my humble address 
 to Thy Divine Majesty, begging of Thee mercy 
 and protection this night and ever. 
 
 O Lord, pardon all my sins, my light and rash 
 words, the vanity and impiety of my thoughts, 
 my unjust and uncharitable actions, and whatso- 
 ever I have transgressed against Thee this day, or 
 at any time before. Behold, O God, my soul is 
 troubled in the remembrance of my sins, in the 
 frailty and sinfulness of my flesh, exposed to 
 every temptation, and of itself not able to resist 
 any. Lord God of Mercy, I earnestly beg of 
 Thee to give me a great portion of Thy grace, 
 such as may be sufficient and effectual for the 
 mortification of all my sins, and vanities and dis- 
 orders : that as I have formerly served my lust 
 and unworthy desires, so now I may give myself 
 up wholly to Thy service and the studies of a 
 holy life. 
 
 II 
 
 Into Thy hands, most blessed Lord Jesu, I com- 
 mend my soul and body, for Thou hast redeemed 
 both with Thy precious blood. So bless and 
 sanctify my sleep unto me, that it may be 
 temperate, holy and safe ; a refreshment to my 
 wearied body, to enable it so to serve my soul 
 that both rnay serve Thee with a never-failing 
 
154 prayers of jpamous M^^ 
 
 duty. O, let me never sleep in sin, or death 
 eternal, but give me a watchful and a prudent 
 spirit, that I may omit no opportunity of serving 
 Thee ; that whether I sleep or wake, or die, I 
 may be Thy servant and Thy child ; that when 
 the work of my life is done I may rest in the 
 bosom of my Lord, till by the voice of the Arch- 
 angel, the trump of God, I shall be awakened 
 and called to sit down and feast in the eternal 
 supper of the Lamb. Grant this, O Lamb of 
 God, for the honour of the mercies and the glory 
 of Thy Name, O most merciful Saviour and 
 Redeemer Jesus. Amen. 
 
 SIR PHILIP SIDNEY 
 
 ALL-SEEING Hght and eternal Hfe of 
 all things, to whom nothing is either so 
 great that it may resist, or so small that 
 it is contemned ; look upon my misery with 
 Thine eye of Mercy, and let Thine infinite 
 power vouchsafe to limit out some proportion or 
 deliverance unto me, as to Thee shall seem most 
 convenient. Let not injury, O Lord, triumph 
 over me, and let my faults by Thy hand be cor- 
 rected, and make not mine unjust enemy the 
 minister of Thy justice. But yet, my God, if in 
 Thy wisdom this be the aptest chastisement for 
 my inexcusable folly, if this low bondage be fitted 
 
^raijcrs of jpamous if^cn 155 
 
 for my over high desires, if the pride of my not 
 enough humble heart be thus to be broken, O Lord, 
 I yield unto Thy will, and joyfully embrace what 
 sorrow Thou wilt have me suffer. Only thus 
 much let me crave of Thee ; let my craving, O 
 Lord, be accepted of Thee, since even that pro- 
 ceeds from Thee ; let me crave, even by the 
 noblest title, which in my greatest affliction I 
 may give myself, that I am Thy creature, and by 
 Thy goodness, which is Thyself, that Thou wilt 
 suffer some beam of Thy majesty so to shine into 
 my mind, that it may still depend confidently on 
 Thee. Let calamity be the exercise but not the 
 overthrow of my virtue ; let their power prevail, 
 but prevail not to destruction. Let my great- 
 ness be their prey ; let my pain be the sweetness 
 of their revenge ; let them, if so it seem good 
 unto Thee, vex me with more and more punish- 
 ment ; but, O Lord, let never their wickedness 
 have such a hand but that I may carry a pure 
 mind in a pure body. 
 
 THE PRAYER OF SIR THOMAS 
 BROWNE 
 
 ISPOSE of me, O Lord, according to the 
 wisdom of Thy pleasure : Thy will be 
 done, though in my own undoing. 
 
156 prayers of Jfamous ilWtn 
 
 THE PRAYERS OF FRANCIS 
 BACON 
 
 [ralOST GRACIOUS LORD GOD, my 
 
 ll^iJJI merciful Father, from my youth up, my 
 Creator, my Redeemer, my Comforter. 
 Thou (O Lord) soundest out and searchest the 
 depths and secrets of all hearts : Thou know- 
 ledgest the upright of heart. Thou judgest the 
 hypocrite. Thou ponderest men's thoughts and 
 doings as in a balance. Thou measurest their 
 intentions as with a line, vanity and crooked 
 ways cannot be hid from Thee. 
 
 Remember, O Lord, how Thy servant has 
 walked before Thee ! remember what I have 
 first sought, and what has been principal in my 
 intentions. I have loved Thy assembly, I have 
 mourned for the divisions of Thy Church, I have 
 delighted in the brightness of Thy sanctuary. 
 This vine which Thy right hand has planted in 
 this nation, I have ever prayed unto Thee that 
 it might have the first and latter rain, and that 
 it might stretch its branches to the seas and to 
 the floods. The state and bread of the poor and 
 oppressed have been precious in mine eyes : I 
 have, though in a despised weed, procured the 
 good of all men. If any have been mine 
 enemies I thought not of them j neither hath 
 the sun almost set upon my displeasure ; but I 
 have been as a dove, free from superfluity of 
 maliciousness. Thy creatures have been my 
 
^ragcrs of jpamous iWcu 157 
 
 books, but Thy Scriptures much more. I have 
 sought Thee in the courts, fields, and gardens, 
 but I have found Thee in Thy temples. 
 
 Thousand have been my sin, and ten thousand 
 my transgression, but Thy sanctifications have 
 remained with me, and my heart, through Thy 
 grace, hath been an unquenched coal upon Thy 
 altar. O Lord, my strength, I have, since my 
 youth, met with Thee in all my ways, by Thy 
 fatherly compassions, by Thy comfortable chas- 
 tisements, by Thy most visible Providence. As 
 Thy favours have increased upon me so have 
 Thy corrections ; so hast Thou been always 
 near me, O Lord ; and ever, as my worldly 
 blessings were exalted, so secret darts from Thee 
 have pierced me ; and when I have ascended 
 before men I have descended in humiHation 
 before Thee. 
 
 And now, when I thought most of peace and 
 honour, Thy hand is heavy upon me and hath 
 humbled me, according to Thy former loving- 
 kindness keeping me still in Thy Fatherly school, 
 not as a bastard but as a child. Just are Thy 
 judgments upon me for my sins, which are more 
 in number than the sands of the sea, but have no 
 proportion to Thy mercies ; for what are the 
 sands of a sea, earth, and heavens ? and all these 
 are nothing to Thy mercies. 
 
 Besides my innumerable sins, I confess before 
 Thee that I am a debtor to Thee for the gra- 
 cious talent of the gifts and graces which I have 
 neither put into a napkin nor put it (as I 
 
158 ^tapcts of jpamous 0im 
 
 thought) to exchanges where it might have made 
 best profit ; so as I may truly say, my soul 
 hath been a stranger in the course of my pilgrim- 
 age. Be merciful unto me, O Lord, for my 
 Saviour's sake, and receive me into Thy bosom, 
 or guide me in Thy ways. 
 
 ^ 
 
 The Student*s Prayer 
 
 To God the Father, God the Word, God the 
 Spirit, we pour forth the most humble and hearty 
 supplications; that He, remembering the calami- 
 ties of mankind and the pilgrimage of this our 
 life, in which we wear out days few and evil, 
 would please to open to us new refreshments out 
 of the fountains of His goodness, for the alleviat- 
 ing of our miseries. This also we humbly and 
 earnestly beg, that human things may not 
 prejudice such as are divine ; neither that from 
 the unlocking of the gates of sense, and the 
 kindling of the greater natural light, anything of 
 incredulity or intellectual night may arise in our 
 minds towards the Divine Mysteries. But rather 
 that by our mind thoroughly cleansed and 
 purged from fancy and vanities, and yet subject 
 and perfectly given up to the divine oracles, 
 there may be given unto Faith the things that 
 are Faith's. Jmen. 
 
^rapcts of jpnmous M^^ ^59 
 
 The Writer's Prayer 
 
 Thou ! O Father ! who gavest the visible Light 
 as the firstborn of Thy creatures, and didst pour 
 into man intellectual light as the top and con- 
 summation of Thy workmanship, be pleased to 
 protect and govern this work, which, coming 
 from Thy goodness, returneth to Thy glory. 
 Thou, after Thou hadst reviewed the works 
 which Thy hands had made, beheldest that every- 
 thing was very good ; and Thou did-st rest in 
 complacency in them. But man, reflecting on 
 the works which he had made, saw that all was 
 vanity and vexation of spirit^ and could by no 
 means acquiesce in them. Wherefore, if we 
 labour in Thy works with the sweat of our 
 brows. Thou wilt make us partakers of Thy 
 Vision and Thy Sabbath. We humbly beg that 
 this mind may be steadfastly in us, and that Thou, 
 by our hands and also by the hands of others, on 
 whom Thou shalt bestow the same spirit, wilt 
 please to convey a largess of new alms to Thy 
 family of mankind. These things we commend 
 to Thy everlasting love, by our Jesus, Thy 
 Christ, God with us. Amen. 
 
 %H 
 
i6o ^rag^rs of jpantoits 0im 
 
 PRAYERS USED BY DEAN SWIFT 
 
 FOR MRS, JOHNSON IN HER 
 
 LAST SICKNESS 
 
 I 
 
 LMIGHTY AND MOST GRA- 
 CIOUS LORD GOD, extend, we 
 beseech Thee, Thy pity and compassion 
 toward this Thy languishing servant : teach her 
 to place her hope and confidence entirely on 
 Thee : give her a true sense of the emptiness and 
 vanity of all earthly things : make her truly 
 sensible of all the infirmities of her life past, and 
 grant to her such a true and sincere repentance 
 as is not to be repented of. 
 
 Preserve her, O Lord, in a sound mind and 
 understanding, during this Thy visitation j keep 
 her from both the sad extremes of presumption 
 and despair. If Thou shalt please to restore her 
 to her former health, give her grace to be ever 
 mindful of that mercy, and to keep those good 
 resolutions she now makes in her sickness, so 
 that no length of time nor prosperity may 
 entice her to forget them. 
 
 Let no thought of her misfortunes distract 
 her mind and prevent the means towards her 
 recovery, or disturb her in her preparations for a 
 better life. We beseech Thee, also, O Lord, of 
 Thy infinite goodness, to rememlDer the good 
 actions of this Thy servant j that the naked she 
 
^ragcrs of jfamous J^en i6i 
 
 hath clothed, the hungry she hath fed, the sick 
 and the fatherless whom she hath relieved, may- 
 be reckoned, according to Thy gracious pro- 
 mise, as if they had been done unto Thee. 
 Hearken, O Lord, to the prayers offered up by 
 the friends of this Thy servant in her behalf, 
 and especially those now made by us unto Thee. 
 Give Thy blessing to those endeavours used for 
 her recovery ; but take from her all violent 
 desire either of life or death, farther than with 
 resignation to Thy holy will. And now, O 
 Lord, we implore Thy gracious favour toward 
 us here met together. Grant that the sense of 
 this Thy servant's weakness may add strength to 
 our faith ; that we, considering the infirmities of 
 our natures and the uncertainty of life, may, by 
 this example, be drawn to repentance before it 
 shall please Thee to visit us in like manner. 
 Accept these prayers, we beseech Thee, for the 
 sake of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ our Lord ; 
 who, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and 
 reigneth, ever one God, world without end. 
 Amen. 
 
 II 
 
 Most merciful Father, accept our humblest 
 prayers in behalf of this Thy languishing ser- 
 vant J forgive the sins, the frailties, and infirmi- 
 ties of her life past. Accept the good deeds she 
 
1 62 ^ragtrs of jpamous 0itn 
 
 hath done in such manner, that at whatever time 
 Thou shalt please to call her, she may be re- 
 ceived into everlasting habitations ; give her 
 grace to continue sincerely thankful to Thee for 
 the many favours Thou hast bestowed upon her, 
 the ability, and inclination, and practice to good 
 and those virtues which have procured the 
 esteem and love of her friends, and a most 
 unspotted name in the world. O God, Thou 
 dispensest Thy blessings and Thy punishments 
 as it becometh infinite justice and mercy ; and 
 since it was Thy pleasure to afflict her with a 
 long, constant, weakly state of health, make her 
 truly sensible that it was for very wise ends, and 
 was largely made up to her in other blesssings 
 more valuable and less common. 
 
 Continue to her, O Lord, that firmness and 
 constancy of mind wherewith Thou hast most 
 graciously endowed her, together with that con- 
 tempt of worldly things and vanities that she 
 hath shown in the whole conduct of her life. O 
 all-powerful Being, the least motion of whose 
 will can create or destroy a world, pity us, the 
 mournful friends of Thy distressed servant, who 
 sink under the weight of her present condition, 
 and the fear of losing the most valuable of our 
 friends ; restore her to us, O Lord, if it be Thy 
 gracious will, or inspire us with constancy and 
 resignation to support ourselves under so heavy 
 an affliction. Restore her, O Lord, for the sake 
 of those poor who, by losing her, will be deso- 
 late, and those sick, who will not only want her 
 
^rnijcrs of jpnmous 0itn 163 
 
 bounty, but her care and tending ; or else, in 
 Thy mercy, raise up some other in her place 
 with equal disposition and better abilities. 
 Lessen, O Lord, we beseech Thee, her bodily 
 pains, or give her a double strength of mind to 
 support them. And, if Thou wilt soon take her 
 to Thyself, turn our thoughts rather upon that 
 felicity which we hope she shall enjoy, than upon 
 that unspeakable loss we shall endure. 
 
 Let her memory be ever dear unto us, and the 
 example of her many virtues, as far as human 
 infirmity will admit, our constant imitation. 
 Accept, O Lord, these prayers, poured from the 
 very bottom of our hearts, in Thy mercy, and 
 for the merits of our blessed Saviour. Amen, 
 
 FROM THE *^IMITATIO CHRISTI" 
 
 [B^ BESEECH THEE, my most gracious 
 |H.Eb | God, preserve me from the cares of this 
 life, lest I should be too much entangled 
 therein ; also from the many necessities of the 
 body, lest I should be so ensnared by pleasure j 
 and from whatsoever is an obstacle to the soul, 
 lest being broken with troubles I should be 
 overthrown. 
 
 O my God, Thou sweetness ineffable, make 
 bitter for me all carnal comfort, which draws me 
 away from the love of eternal things and in evil 
 
164 ^tagcrs of Jpanious 0itn 
 
 manner allures me to itself by the view of some 
 present delightsome good. 
 
 Let me not be overcome, O Lord, let me not 
 be overcome by flesh and blood ; let not the 
 world, and the short glory thereof, deceive me ; 
 let not the devil and his subtle fraud sup- 
 plant me. 
 
 Give me strength to resist, patience to endure, 
 and constancy to persevere. 
 
 Give me, instead of all the comforts of the 
 world, the most sweet unction of Thy spirit, or 
 in lieu of carnal love pour in the love of Thy 
 Name. 
 
 Behold ! meat, drink, clothes and other neces- 
 saries for the maintenance of the body are burden- 
 some unto a fervent spirit. 
 
 Grant me to use such refreshment moderately, 
 and not to be entangled with an over-great desire 
 of them. 
 
 It is not lawful to cast away all things ; be- 
 cause nature is to be sustained ; but to desire 
 superfluities, and those things that are merely 
 pleasurable, the holy law forbiddeth us, for then 
 the flesh would rebel against the spirit. Herein, 
 I beseech Thee, let Thy hand govern me and 
 teach me that I may not exceed the due 
 bounds. 
 
 Oft 
 
^rawm of Jfamous JHcn 165 
 
 The Rev. E. B. PUSEY 
 
 BLESSED ONLY SAVIOUR, happy 
 they who have left all to follow Thee, to 
 be where Thou art, to sit down on Thy 
 throne, to taste of Thy sweetness, to gaze on 
 Thy beauty, to be filled with Thine unimagin- 
 able love. Draw us. Lord, that we may run after 
 Thee. Look down as from Thy cross on us, 
 who wouldest draw all unto Thee. Kindle, 
 soften, break our hard, cold hearts that we be 
 ashamed to be so unlike Thee. Fill our faces 
 with shame, that we may see Thy face. Give 
 us of that love wherewith Thou lovedst us, that 
 we, loving Thee in Thy members, may be loved 
 of Thee and owned of Thee, and enter into 
 Thine everlasting love, who, with the Father 
 and the Holy Ghost, art one God, to whom be 
 blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanks- 
 giving and power and might for ever and ever. 
 Amen, 
 
 PRAYERS OF Bp. ANDREWES 
 
 For a Married Man 
 
 GRACIOUS FATHER, maker and 
 preserver of Heaven and earth, who in 
 the beginning didst institute matrimony, 
 thereby foretelling the mystical union of the 
 
1 66 ^ragtrs of Jpamous jWen 
 
 Church with our Saviour Christ, who in the 
 time of His being upon earth did honour marriage 
 with His first miracle, and hast appointed it also 
 for a means whereby mankind is propagated, for 
 a remedy to avoid unlawful lust, and for the 
 mutual comfort and consolation of Thy children; 
 1 humbly entreat Thee to give me the assistance 
 of Thy divine grace, that I may live according 
 to Thy commandments with my wife, whom 
 Thou hast given me for my help and comfort in 
 this world. Mortify me in all unclean, dishonest 
 and fleshly lusts ; let not the heat of unlawful 
 concupiscence take hold of me, but make me to 
 be fully pleased and satisfied with her love, and 
 to love her as Christ loved His Church, to cherish 
 and comfort her as mine own body, and to have 
 as great a care of her health as of mine own. 
 Grant that we may live in peace without debate, 
 in unity without discord, like members of one 
 body equally desirous to praise Thy Holy Name. 
 And give us, O Lord, discreet hearts and under- 
 standing minds, to bring up our children in Thy 
 faith and fear, in a religious, honest, and civil 
 manner. Give them obedient hearts to Thee 
 and Thy commandments, and to all that 
 Thou requirest of them to be performed in duty 
 towards their parents. Keep them from those 
 which are ready to seduce them, and so lead 
 them in Thy faith, fear and knowledge, that 
 they prove not a curse but a blessing unto us, 
 and thereby attain to that blessing which Thou 
 hast promised to those who honour and obey 
 
prayers of jpamous JWcn 167 
 
 their parents. Grant likewise, O Lord, that I 
 may guide and instruct the family which is under 
 me in Thy fear, and in an honest and careful 
 manner provide as well for their bodies as their 
 souls. And give them the like grace, O Lord, 
 to perform their duties in fear and obedience, not 
 as eye-servants, but in simplicity of heart, as in 
 Thy sight. And give us, O Lord, a competency 
 of estate to maintain ourselves, children and 
 family, according to that rank of calling wherein 
 Thou of Thy goodness hast placed us, without 
 excess, riot or vain-glory, and in singleness and 
 pureness of heart ; with all humility relying upon 
 Thy blessed will, who knowest better than we 
 ourselves what is needful for us. Grant this, O 
 Lord, for Jesus Christ's sake, to whom with Thee 
 and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now 
 and for ever. Amen. 
 
 For a Married Woman 
 
 O MERCIFUL and loving Lord God, who, in the 
 beginning, for the propagation of mankind, didst 
 take Eve out of the side of Adam, and give her 
 to him as a helper : I give Thee humble thanks 
 that Thou hast vouchsafed to call me to the 
 honourable estate of matrimony. Give me grace, 
 O Lord, that I may lead a life worthy thereof ; 
 that I may love my husband with a pure and 
 chaste love, acknowledge him for my head, and 
 
1 68 drapers of jpamous 0itn 
 
 truly reverence and obey him in all good things : 
 that thereby I may please him, and live quietly 
 w^ith him. Grant that I be not carried away 
 vi^ith the vain fashions of this world, but may put 
 on such habits as may be agreeable and suitable 
 with the estate of my husband, and may become 
 a modest woman to wear. Help me, O Lord, 
 that I may, under him, prudently and discreetly 
 guide and govern his household and family, and 
 carefully look that nothing be either carelessly 
 lost or wickedly committed in my house. Fit 
 me with those good graces which the wise man 
 describeth in a good woman, and St. Peter in 
 holy and sanctified matrons. Give me such a 
 care concerning the education of my children, as 
 belongeth to my part, that I may live to see them 
 prosper in this life, and afterwards be received 
 with them to Thy eternal kingdom, through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, 
 
 ^ 
 
 For a Child 
 
 O Almighty Lord God, to whom the obedience 
 of children to their parents is most acceptable, 
 and all disobedience most displeasing, who hast 
 promised a blessing to the dutiful and threatened 
 a curse to the disobedient child ; I beseech Thee 
 to put away from me the detestable sin of dis- 
 obedience and rebellion against my parents, and 
 
^ragers of Jpamous iWen 169 
 
 give me grace to observe them w^ith all kind of 
 duty, to obey them in all their just commands, 
 and make me able and helpful to them at all 
 times of their need. Give me grace to bear all 
 their reproofs, and even their errors patiently, 
 and not to grieve them by stubborn and evil 
 courses. Let me not be so far deprived of Thy 
 grace, as to scofF at or deride them, though by 
 age or infirmity they shall fail in their judgment 
 or reason. Make me always to remember that 
 under Thee I owe my life to them, and therefore 
 to cherish, succour and support them in all their 
 distresses. Lord, forgive all the offences which 
 I have heretofore committed against them. In- 
 crease the number of their days, keep them safe 
 in body and mind, let them see their children's 
 children to their comfort and Thy glory. Lei 
 them govern us and the rest of their family, with 
 wholesome discipline and good example, that at 
 the last they may in their due time depart this 
 life in peace and come to Thy kingdom un- 
 spotted, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, 
 
 ^ 
 
 Fof a Young Man or Maid 
 
 O Lord, forasmuch as I am at these years in the 
 heat of the flesh and in the most dangerous time 
 of my life, I beseech Thee, take not Thy mercy 
 and fatherly providence from me, but, by how 
 
170 ^ragtts of jpamous Mtn 
 
 much the greater danger of falling I am in, with 
 so much the more care let Thy grace preserve 
 me, lest I become a prey to the enemies of my 
 soul, who assault me with so many temptations, 
 that without Thysuccour I shall never of myself be 
 able to overcome them. But, O merciful Father, 
 distrusting mine own strength, I betake myself 
 wholly to Thy protection, and desire Thee both 
 now and ever to keep me. Let me not get 
 that habit of sinning in my younger years, that 
 I be forced in my age (if I be not cut ofF before 
 in my offences) to bewail the sins of my youth 
 in the bitterness of my soul ; but rather accustom 
 me from this time forward to all goodness, that I 
 may daily more and more profit therein, and that 
 serving Thee with a pure heart now, I may be 
 able in my age to say with good King Hezekiah, 
 " O Lord, remember, I beseech Thee, how I 
 have walked before Thee in truth, with a perfect 
 heart, and have done that which is good in Thy 
 sight." Most loving Father, who takest care of 
 all men, I commend unto Thee my soul as a 
 child, that can of himself do nothing ; defend me, 
 I pray Thee, from all mine enemies, spiritual and 
 temporal ; keep my body and soul pure, chaste, 
 and undefiled, that I offend not either in obscene 
 speech, impure thought, or unclean act. My 
 chastity is a more precious jewel than I can keep 
 without Thy help ; I therefore beseech Thee, 
 who hast pronounced a blessing to the pure in 
 heart, to keep my heart pure : be Thou my guide 
 and preserver, lest in the heat of concupiscence I 
 
^raijcts of jpamous i^cn 171 
 
 forget Thee, Give me grace, O Lord, to serve 
 and obey my parents, and those to v^^hose govern- 
 ment I am committed, and that in all humility ; 
 and grant that, if Thou shalt be pleased to call me 
 to the honourable estate of wedlock, I may be 
 matched with one who is a sincere professor of 
 Thy true religion, with whom I may serve Thee 
 in peace and holiness all the days of my life, and 
 at the last rest with Thee in Thy heavenly 
 kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 Amen. 
 
 For a Servant 
 
 Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who, 
 when Thou wast the Son of God and the Lord 
 of the world, didst take upon Thee the form of 
 a servant, that by Thy obedience Thou mightest 
 purchase salvation for all people, as well bond as 
 free \ I pray Thee that, since Thou hast been 
 pleased to call me to the state of a servant. Thou 
 wouldst give me a humble and obedient heart, and 
 make me contented with this condition of life, 
 as allotted to me by Thy providence. Grant 
 that I may with gentleness of spirit, singleness 
 of heart, and willingness of mind serve those 
 under whom I am placed, and that I may not 
 either murmur against them, nor envy those that 
 are seated in a higher estate ; that I may obey 
 them in all their honest commands with all fear 
 
172 ^tagm of jpamous 0im 
 
 and true respect, not with eye-service, as men- 
 pleasers, but with all my heart, and the rather 
 because Thy commandment biddeth me so to do. 
 Grant that, serving them diligently, faithfully, 
 and carefully, I may avoid their displeasure, and 
 obtain Thy favour and blessing, and at the end 
 of my days may come to those blissful regions 
 where Thou, with the Father and the blessed 
 Spirit, dost reign in eternal glory, world without 
 end. Ainen, 
 
 PRAYERS OF ARCHBISHOP 
 TILLOTSON 
 
 Before Composing a Sermon 
 
 LORD GOD OF TRUTH, I humbly 
 beseech Thee to enlighten my mind by 
 Thy Holy Spirit, that I may discern the 
 true way to eternal salvation ; and to free me 
 from all prejudice and passion, from every corrupt 
 affection and interest that may either blind or 
 seduce me in search after it. 
 
 Make me impartial in my inquiry after truth, 
 and ready, whenever it is discovered to me, to 
 receive it in the love of it, to obey it from the 
 heart, and to practise it in my life, and to con- 
 tinue steadfast in the profession of it to the end 
 of my days. 
 
 I perfectly resign myself, O Lord, to Thy 
 
^ragm of Jpamous i^m 173 
 
 conduct and direction, in confidence that Thy 
 mercy and goodness is such, that Thou wilt not 
 suffer those who sincerely desire to know the 
 truth, and rely upon Thy guidance, finally to 
 miscarry. 
 
 And if, in anything which concerns the true 
 worship and service of Thee, my God, and the 
 everlasting happiness of my soul, I am in any 
 error and mistake, I earnestly beg of Thee to 
 convince me of it, and to lead me into the way 
 of truth, and to confirm and establish me in it 
 daily more and more. 
 
 And I beseech Thee, O Lord, always to pre- 
 serve in me a great compassion and sincere 
 charity towards those that are in error and igno- 
 rance of Thy truth ; beseeching Thee to take 
 pity on them and to bring them to the know- 
 ledge of it, that they may be saved. And 
 because our blessed Saviour hath promised that 
 all that do His will shall know His doctrine, 
 grant, O Lord, that I may never knowingly 
 offend Thee in anything, or neglect to do what 
 I know to be Thy will and my duty. 
 
 Grant, O Heavenly Father, these my humble 
 and hearty requests, for His sake who is the 
 Way, the Truth, and the Life, my blessed 
 Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen, 
 
 eJ6 
 
174 ^ragers of jpamous iWm 
 
 A Prayer to God that He would be pleased 
 
 to assist and accept my preparation to 
 
 receive the Blessed Sacrament 
 
 I PROSTRATE mysclf before Thee, my most 
 gracious God and merciful Father, in an humble 
 acknowledgment of my unworthiness and in- 
 sufficiency of myself for anything that is good. 
 I am sensible that without Thee I can do 
 nothing, and therefore do humbly implore Thy 
 gracious assistance and acceptance of my en- 
 deavour to prepare myself for the worthy receiv- 
 ing of the blessed sacrament of the Body and 
 Blood of Thy dear Son. 
 
 Stir up, I beseech Thee, such pious affections 
 and dispositions in my soul, and fill my mind 
 with such holy meditations as are suitable to this 
 occasion. Grant me such a sense of my sins 
 and of the sufferings of my blessed Saviour for 
 them as may affect my heart with a deep sorrow 
 for my sins and an eternal hatred and displeasure 
 against them, and may effectually engage me to 
 love and live to Him who died for me, Jesus 
 Christ, my blessed Saviour and Redeemer. 
 Amen. 
 
prayers of J^amous M^y^ 175 
 
 A Prayer to God to prepare my heart for the 
 
 worthy receiving of the Holy Sacrament, 
 
 and to make me partaker of the 
 
 blessings and benefits of it 
 
 I COME to Thee, O my Lord God, from whom 
 are the preparation of the heart and the good 
 disposition of our minds, for Thy worship and 
 service. Fit me, O Lord, by hearty contrition 
 for my sins, and a sincere resolution of a better 
 course, to approach Thy altar. Accept of the 
 expiation which Thy Son hath made of all my 
 transgressions by the sacrifice of Himself, as a 
 Lamb without spot or blemish. Let the re- 
 membrance of my sins and of His bitter suffer- 
 ings for them, pierce my very heart and engage 
 me for ever to love and serve Him, who laid 
 down His life for me. Cleanse me, O Lord, 
 from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, that I may 
 be a meet guest for Thy holy table, and a real 
 partaker of those blessings and benefits which 
 are represented in the sacrament of Christ's body 
 and blood. Strengthen, O God, all good reso- 
 lutions in me ; enable me by Thy grace faithfully 
 to perform the conditions of that covenant, 
 which I made in baptism, and intend to renew 
 in the holy sacrament by dedicating myself en- 
 tirely and for ever to the service of my blessed 
 Redeemer, who hath loved me and washed me 
 from my sins in His own blood. To Him be 
 
176 ^ragm of jpamous 0im 
 
 all honour and glory, thanksgiving and praise, 
 love and obedience, for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Before the Minister begins the Service 
 
 I LIFT up my soul to Thee, my God, humbly 
 imploring Thy blessing upon me, and gracious 
 assistance of me in the holy action I am now 
 about. Forgive my vi^ant of due preparation, 
 and accept of my sincere desire to perform an 
 acceptable service to Thee through Jesus Christ. 
 
 Before the Receiving of the Bread 
 
 Lord, I am not w^orthy of the crumbs which 
 fall from Thy table. 
 
 After the Receiving of It 
 
 Greater love than this hath no man, that a 
 man lay down his life for his friend. 
 
 Herein hath God commended His love to us, 
 that whilst we were enemies He gave His Son to 
 die for us. 
 
prayers of jpamous JWcn 177 
 
 Before Receiving the Cup 
 
 What shall I render to the Lord for all His 
 benefits ? I will take the cup of salvation, and 
 I will bless the name of the Lord. 
 
 After the Receiving of It 
 
 Blessed be God for His unspeakable gift, His 
 dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ, in whom we 
 have Redemption through His blood, even the 
 forgiveness of sins. 
 
 After the Conclusion of the Whole Action 
 
 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is 
 within me bless His holy Name. Bless the 
 Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, 
 who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all 
 thy diseases ; who redeemeth thy life from des- 
 truction, and crowneth thee with loving-kindness 
 and tender mercies, who satisfieth thy mouth 
 with good things. Bless the Lord, O my soul. 
 
 ^ 
 
 M 
 
178 ^ragm of jpamous JHcn 
 
 A Prayer to be used in Private afterwards 
 
 I PRAISE and magnify Thy great and glorious 
 name, O Lord my God, for the blessed oppor- 
 tunity afforded to me this day of commemorating 
 Thy infinite goodness and mercy to me and all 
 mankind in sending Thy only Son into the 
 world to take our nature upon Him, to submit 
 to the infirmities and miseries of it, to live 
 amongst us and to die for us, and to preserve the 
 memory of this great love and goodness of Thine 
 to us for ever in our hearts, that Thou hast been 
 pleased to appoint the Blessed Sacrament for a 
 solemn remembrance of it. Grant, O Lord, 
 that I may faithfully keep and perform that holy 
 covenant which I have this day so solemnly 
 renewed and confirmed in Thy presence and at 
 Thy table. Let it be an eternal obligation upon 
 me of perpetual love and obedience to Thee. 
 Let nothing seem hard for me to do or grievous 
 for me to suffer for Thy sake, who, whilst I was 
 a sinner and an enemy to Thee, lovedst me at 
 such a rate as never any man did his friend. 
 Grant that by this sacrament there may be con- 
 veyed to my soul new spiritual life and strength, 
 and such a measure of Thy grace and assistance 
 as may enable me to a greater care of my duty 
 for the future ; that I may henceforth live as 
 becomes the redeemed of the Lord ; even to Him 
 who died for my sins, and rose again for my 
 justification, and is now set down on the right 
 
^ranm of Jpamous iWcn 179 
 
 hand of the throne of God, to make intercession 
 for me. In His holy Name and words I con- 
 clude my imperfect prayers. 
 
 Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be 
 Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will 
 be done in earth as it is in Heaven. Give us 
 this day our daily bread. And forgive us our 
 trespasses as we forgive them that have tres- 
 passed against us. And lead us not into tempta- 
 tion, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the 
 kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever. 
 Amen, 
 
INDEX 
 
 S. Agatha, 19 
 
 S. Agnes, 6 
 
 S. Alphege, 37 
 
 S. Ambrose, 34 
 
 S. Andrew, 123 
 
 Bp. Andrewes, 127, 165- 
 
 172 
 S. Anselm, 38-46 
 S. Anskar, 19 
 S. Athanasius, 50 
 S. Augustine, Abp., 57 
 S. Augustine, B.C., 83- 
 
 95 
 S. Austin, 132 
 
 Bacon, Francis, 156-159 
 
 S. Barnabas, 63 
 
 S. Bartholomew, 81 
 
 S. Basil, 28 
 
 S. Basil the Great, 61-64 
 
 S. Bede, 58 
 
 S. Benedict, 28 
 
 S. Bernard, 75-80 
 
 S. Boniface, 59 
 
 S. Briget, 108 
 
 Browne, Sir Thomas, 1 5 5 
 
 S. Bruno, 106 
 
 S. Chad, 23 
 
 King Charles, 13-16 
 
 S. Clement of Rome, 121 
 
 S. Caedmon, 21 
 
 S. Columba, 59 
 
 S. Columbanus, 120 
 
 S. Cosmas, no 
 
 S. Crispin, 112 
 
 S. Cyprian, 96 
 
 S. Cyril, 27 
 
 S. David, 22 
 
 S. Dionysius, 109 
 
 Dr. Donne, 1 50 
 
l82 
 
 Intitx 
 
 S. Dunstan, 56 
 
 S. Edmund, 116 
 S. Elizabeth, 118 
 S. Ethelwold, 20 
 S. Eulalia, 21 
 
 S. Faith, 108 
 
 S. Francis of Assisi, 104 
 
 S. Gelasius, 118 
 
 S. Gregory the Great, 25 
 
 S. Gregory Nazianzen, 5 5 
 
 S. Hilary, 5 
 
 S. Ignatius, i 6 
 
 Innocents (The Holy), 
 131 
 
 S. James, 49 
 
 S. James, 72-74 
 
 S. Jerome, 99-104 
 
 S. John, 130 
 
 S. John Baptist, 64 
 
 S. John Chrysostom, 12 
 
 S. John Damascene, 54 
 
 Dr. Johnson, i, 146-150 
 
 S. Jude, 113 
 S. Justina, 97 
 
 S. Kentigern, 5 
 
 S. Lambert, 95 
 
 Abp. Laud, 3 
 
 S. Lawrence, 75 
 
 S. Leo the Great, 36 
 
 S. Louis, 82 
 
 S. Luke, 1 1 1 
 
 S. Margaret (Queen), 60 
 
 S. Margaret (V.M.), 68 
 
 S. Mark, 46-49 
 
 S. Mary (Magdalene), 71 
 
 S. Mary (Virgin), 17, 29 
 
 S. Matthew, 96 
 
 S. Matthias, 22 
 
 S. Michael, 98 
 
 S. Monnica, 51-54 
 
 More, Sir Thomas, 139 
 
 S. Patrick, 26 
 S. Paul, 7-1 1 
 Penn, William, 142 
 S. Perpetua, 24 
 S. Peter, 65-67 
 
Intrex 
 
 183 
 
 S. Philip, 49 
 S. Polycarp, 1 1 
 Pusey, Rev. E. B., 165 
 
 Raleigh, Sir Walter, 
 
 142 
 S. Remigius, 104 
 S. Richard, 33 
 
 Sidney, Sir Philip, 154 
 S. Simeon Stylites, 2 
 S. Simon, 1 13 
 Steele, Sir Richard, 140 
 S. Stephen, 128 
 
 Swift, Dean, 160-163 
 
 Taylor, Bp. Jeremy, 
 
 152-154 
 S. Theodore Studita, 1 1 5 
 S. Theresa, no 
 S. Thomas, 124 
 S. Thomas (Aquinas), 24 
 S. Thomas (Cantuar), 133 
 Abp. Tillotson, 172-179 
 
 S. Vincent, 7 
 
 Wilson, Bp., 143 
 
 Printed by Ballantyne, HANSON & CO. 
 l-ondon &■ Edinburgh 
 
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