ANOTHER. Prevent, O Lord, we beseech thee, our actions with thy Spirit, and further them by thy aid, that all our prayers and works may ever begin and end alike with thee. Through our Lord. ANOTHER. O God, to whom every heart is open, every wish speaks, and from whom no secret is hid, purify the thoughts of our hearts by the infusion of the Holy Spirit, that we may merit to love thee perfectly and to praise thee worthily. Through. PRAYER AT THE CLOSE OF OFFICE OR PRAYER. Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight, O King of kings, most excellent, most powerful and most wise! Let thy fatherly mercy pardon, I beseech thee, all its errors and defects, and receive it in union with all the prayers of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, and of thy Elect in heaven and on earth, uttered with all the affection of the whole militant and triumphant Church. To thy glory and praise, and that of the Blessed Virgin and all the Saints, especially those whom I have undertaken to honour this day, according to the decree of the Church, or of my own accord as my Patrons. In remembrance of the Passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour; in thanksgiving for all thy benefits; for the salvation of all who have recommended themselves to me; in satisfaction for all my sins; for obtaining thy grace, and this virtue N. And grant that I may bless thee at all times; and that, as thy praise is ever in my mouth, so too I may praise thee in heart and deed, and please thee by my sobriety, modesty, zeal, devotion, purity, obedience, meekness, and patience; that all may love thee and glorify thee, who art blessed for ever. Amen. ANOTHER. Most merciful God, who of thy infinite goodness hast vouchsafed to permit me a sinner to stand and praise thee in thy presence; forgive me, I pray thee, all the errors which I have admitted into my prayers, whether through dryness, negligence, or natural infirmity; that my prayer may not be turned to sin,' and my enemy boast against me, 1 Ps. cviii. 7. that he wounds me with the very weapons with which he was to have been wounded himself. Regard, O Lord, my humility and my toil, and pardon me all my faults through thy only-begotten Son, in whom thou art well pleased. Let me please thee in prayer as well as in deed, though, alas, there is much in it that is defective. But thou wilt not, O Holy Father, despise it, if thou look upon the face of thy Christ; for thou hast heaped upon him all the treasures of thy grace and bounty, that we might be rich through his abundance. Confirm, O God, that which thou hast wrought in me; for I have sworn and determined to keep the judgments of thy justice. Make me to love thy commandments above gold and the topaz, that I may love thee, and be loved by thee, to all eternity. Amen. ANOTHER SHORT PRAYER. Receive, O most merciful God, my dutiful service, through the intervention of the merits of thy only-begotten Son Christ Jesus, and also of the prayers of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, and of all thy Saints. And if I have done any thing worthy of praise, favourably regard it; and that which has been done negligently mercifully pardon. Who, in the perfection of the Trinity, livest and reignest, God, world without end. Ainen AUTHOR, RULER, AND JUDGE, OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE, GOD THREE IN ONE, ALL-POWERFUL, WISE, AND GOOD, THE ABYSS OF JUSTICE AND OF PROVIDENCE, THE FATHER OF MERCY, THE THRICE GREAT AND GOOD, WHO FILLEST THE HEAVEN WITH THY GLORY, THE SEA WITH THY POWER, THE EARTH WITH THY WISDOM, AND ALL THINGS WITH THY GOODNESS, NAY WITH THY VERY SELF, TO THE MOST HIGH OVER ALL THE EARTH, WHOSE EYES ARE BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN, BEHOLDING ROUND ABOUT ALL THE WAYS OF MEN. |
