pretend to godliness; but arts and sciences are the business and profession but of very few, and yet there is not one art or science those gentlemen can name, wherein the books that are written in them are not as numerous and as different as our books of devotion, though these are written for the use, advantage, and entertainment of the best of mankind, I mean, for devout and faithful Christians of all ranks and callings, to whose prayers and intercessions the world of sinners, and particularly the despisers of devotion, are beholden, that they are not destroyed. I am glad I have this occasion of declaring myself in behalf of devotion, and all books of true devotion, how many, and of how many sorts soever they may be. If I had not, by God's providence, been called to write books of another nature, I had, ere this, increased the number of them; and I here, with all humility, give him public praise and thanks, who, in the midst of other laborious studies, hath once more enabled me to revise and publish this.

GEORGE HICKES.

Matins, or Morning Prayer. The Introduction to be said in the beginning of every Matins, or Morning Devotion.

PREVENT, we beseech Thee, O Lord, all our doings with Thy most gracious inspirations, and further them with Thy continual help, that every prayer and work of ours may begin always from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended, and more especially the service we are now entering upon, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Blessed be the Holy and Undivided Trinity, now and for evermore. Amen.

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 trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation: But deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, The power and the glory, For ever and ever.

Amen.

B

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: and in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead, He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and

the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church; the Communion of Saints; the Forgiveness of Sins; the Resurrection of the Body, and the Life Everlasting. Amen.

V. O Lord, open Thou our lips.

R. And our mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. V. O God, make speed to save us.

R. O Lord, make haste to help us.

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

THE INVITATORY.

Come, let us adore our glorified Jesus.
Come, let us adore our glorified Jesus.

PSALM 1.

Behold the Angels assembled in their choirs, and the blessed Saints ready with their hymns; behold, the Church prepares her solemn offices, and summons all her children to bring in their praises.

Come, let us adore our glorified Jesus.

The King of heaven Himself invites us, and graciously calls us into His own presence; He bids

us suspend our mean employments in the world, to receive the honour of treating with Him.

Come, let us adore our glorified Jesus.

To Him we owe all the days of our lives; at least let us pay this one to His service; a service so sweet and easy in itself, and so infinitely rich in its eternal rewards.

Come, let us adore our glorified Jesus.

Let us cheerfully ascend to the house of our Lord, the place He has chosen for our sakes to dwell in Let us reverently bow before His holy Altar, where Himself comes to meet us and our prayers.

Come, let us adore our glorified Jesus.
Glory be to the Father, etc.
As it was in the beginning, etc.

Come, let us adore our glorified Jesus.
Come, let us adore our glorified Jesus.

HYMN I.

BEHOLD, we come, dear Lord, to Thee,
And bow before Thy Throne :
We come to offer on our knee
Our vows to Thee alone.

Whate'er we have, whate'er we are,

Thy bounty freely gave,
Thou dost us here in mercy spare,
And wilt hereafter save.

But O! can all our store afford
No better gifts for Thee?
Thus we confess Thy riches, Lord,
And thus our poverty.

"Tis not our tongue or knee can pay
The mighty debt we owe;

Far more we should than we can say,
Far lower should we bow.

Come then, my soul, bring all thy powers,
And grieve thou hast no more :
Bring every day thy choicest hours,
And Thy great God adore.

But, above all, prepare Thy heart,
On this His own blest day,
In its sweet task to bear thy part,
And sing, and love, and pray.

Glory to the Eternal Lord,

Thrice blessed Three in One;
Thy Name at all times be ador'd
Till time itself be done.

Antiphon.

Amen.

This is the day the Lord hath made; let us be glad and rejoice therein. Alleluja.

PSALM II.

Welcome, blest day, wherein the Sun of Righteousness arose, and chased away the clouds of fear.

Welcome, thou birth-day of our hopes, a day of joy, and public refreshment.

A day of holiness and solemn devotion; a day of rest and universal jubilee.

Welcome to us, and our dark world; and may thy radiant name shine bright for ever.

May all the earth be enlightened with thy beams, and every frozen heart dissolve and sing.

This is the day which our Lord hath made; let us be glad and rejoice therein.

This is the day He hath sanctified to Himself, and called by His own most holy Name;

That in it we may meet to adore His greatness, and admire the wonders of His infinite power;

That we may remember His innumerable mercies. and deeply imprint them in the very centre of our hearts.