with the precious ointment, even the anointing of thy Spirit from above, we may keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and grant that this holy ointment may so knit together the guides of thy church, the rulers of kingdoms, the princes of the nations, that the blessings of it may descend to the skirts of the people, and that thou mayest bless us with thy graces here and hereafter, give us life for evermore in the participation of thy glorious kingdom, where thou livest and reignest, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

PSALM CXXXIV.

An Invitation to the Clergy to be diligent in singing God's Praises publicly.

O Lord, Creator and Governor of all the world, thou that madest heaven and earth, that all should celebrate thy praise and the glory of thy name; give great religion and devout affections to thy ministers, that, by frequent elevation of their hands and hearts in thy sanctuary in behalf of themselves and all the people, thy honour may be exalted among all thy servants, religion may be advanced, and the love of thy name increased, and thy blessings may descend upon us in a plentiful proportion, to supply all our necessities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM CXXXV.

A Prayer that God would avenge his People of their Enemies, and an Invitation of them to praise his Name.

O Lord God, in whose sight the death of all the saints is precious, and to whom the souls of the martyrs from under the altar call to avenge their blood, that is shed like water upon the earth; be gracious unto us thy servants; avenge all thy people of their enemies: that all that hate and persecute thy church, being either brought to repentance or confusion, thy name and thy memorial may be celebrated to all generations, thy kingdom and thy coming may be hastened; that the saints may receive the consummation of their glories, by resurrection of their bodies, and receiving the crown of righteousness which thou hast prepared for all that put their trust in thee; and that we all standing in the house

of the Lord, even in the courts of the house of our God, for ever, may praise thy name, which is gracious and lovely, even for ever and ever. Amen.

Evening Prayer.

PSALM CXXXVI.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving to God for his eternal Mercies. O GOD of heaven and Lord of lords, who by thy excellent wisdom, hast made the heavens, and only doest great wonders in heaven and earth, making all thy creatures to be expresses of thy power and of thy loving mercy; let thy mighty hand and stretched-out arm lead us through the midst of this world and the throng of all our enemies, giving us food for the sustenance of our bodies, the light of the Sun of Righteousness to lead us in our goings, and great apprehensions of thy mercy to excite in us devotion and true religion; that we, praising thy mercies, and being relieved and sustained by thy loving-kindness, may at last come to the land of promise which thou givest for an heritage to thy people, and may receive the mercies of thy kingdom, which endure for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM CXXXVII.

A Prayer for the Redemption of the Church from Captivity and Persecution.

O Lord our God, thou hast placed us in this world like pilgrims and strangers far from our country, far from rest; give us souls and desires so abstract, so religious and contemplative, that all our hopes, our joys and longings, may be to enjoy thee and thy glories in the celestial Jerusalem: and let thy comforts refresh us in this our captivity and exile, that in our heaviness thou mayest be our joy, our songs and melody may be the songs of Sion, the praises of thy name: that when thou hast delivered us from the wrath and malice of our enemies, and dashed all their wickedness (which they have conceived, and would bring forth to our destruction)

against the rock Christ Jesus, we may be blessed amongst thy children, and be carried into our country, the land of glorious promises, there to reign with thee, who livest and governest all things, world without end. Amen.

PSALM CXXXVIII.

A Prayer and a Thanksgiving for God's Mercies.

O Lord God, who hast magnified thy name and word above all things, make good thy loving-kindnesses towards us, and endue our souls with much strength; that thine hand being stretched forth upon the furiousness of all our ghostly enemies, and we being saved by thy right hand, may praise thee and all thy glories, serving thee here with a lowly mind and a great industry: that at last we may worship thee in thy holy temple, in the midst of all the myriads of angels, where thy glory is great and far exalted above all gods. Grant this for Jesus Christ's sake, our Lord and only Saviour. Amen.

THE TWENTY-NINTH DAY.

Morning Prayer.

PSALM CXXXIX.

A Meditation of the Omnipresence of God, and a Prayer that we may always walk as in his Sight.

O LORD our God, who art infinite in wisdom, and present in all places, filling heaven, and earth, and hell, with the effects of thy mighty power, and communications of thy glorious essence; let thy hand lead us, and thy right hand hold us in all our ways, always considering that thou art present, understanding our thoughts and words even long before they are, and seeing our most secret ways as clearly as in the sight of the sun: print thy fear mightily upon our souls, that we may be as fearful of committing sins in secret, as in the eyes of all the world: that we, hating all iniquity, and loving thy counsels as our dearest treasures and guide, may, by the paths of a holy life, be conducted into the way everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM CXL.

A Prayer for Deliverance from the Mischief of all wicked

Persons.

O Lord God, thou strength of our health, thou that avengest the poor, and maintainest the cause of the helpless, deliver us, O Lord, and preserve us from the evil and wicked man, that neither his example may corrupt us, nor his counsels mislead us, nor his prosperity scandalize us, nor his strife disquiet us, nor his mischief disturb our safety: but do thou cover our heads in the day of battle and contestation against all our bodily and ghostly enemies; that although they hunt us to overthrow us, yet we may prosper upon earth under thy favour and protection, and at last, being removed from all fears, and sadness, and dangers, may continue in thy sight amongst the congregation of the just for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM CXLI.

A Prayer for the Virtue of Religion, for Holiness of Life, and for Deliverance from the Snares of our Enemies.

O Lord, our trust and confidence, haste thee unto us, and consider our voice, when we call upon thee in our trouble and necessity; let our prayers ascend up unto thee as incense, and be as the savour of the evening and morning sacrifice. We beg of thee nothing but grace and power to fulfil thy will: let not our hearts be inclined to any evil. Set a watch, O Lord, before our mouths, and keep the door of our lips: let us not be busied in ungodly works, that we may never offend in our thoughts, or words, or actions; and when we do amiss, do thou smite us friendly, and reprove us with the checks of a tender conscience, that thy fatherly correction may, like precious balm, cure all the wounds made by our own infirmities; that we, escaping all the snares of wickedness, may for ever hear and obey thy sweet words, and our souls may never be cast out of thy presence, but for ever may rejoice in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Evening Prayer.

PSALM CXLII.

A Prayer in all Sadness, and in the Hour of Death.

O LORD GOD, thou art our hope, and our portion in the land of the living; consider our complaint and misery: thou art our place to flee unto, thou only art our sanctuary. O hide us under the covert of thy wings, keep us from all the dangers which multiply upon us, when our spirits are in heaviness, and our bodies pressed with infirmities: be thou always at our right hand, and assist us so with the strength of thy grace, that our temptations and our enemies not being above our strength derived from thee, our souls may with confidence go out of prison, and give eternal thanks unto thy name in the companies of the righteous; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM CXLIII.

A Prayer that God would pardon our Sins, and direct us in the Way of Righteousness.

O Lord our Judge and our Redeemer, hearken unto us for thy truth and righteousness' sake; deliver us from the guilt of all our sins, and those great punishments which are due to us for the same. Enter not into judgment with us, for in thy sight no man can be justified by any worthiness of his own. Endue our souls with the righteousness of a holy faith, living and working by charity. Show us the way that we should walk in; teach us to do whatsoever pleaseth thee; quicken our souls in the paths of life; and so continue the conduct of thy Spirit to us, that it may never leave us, till we be brought forth of this world into the land of righteousness, to dwell with thee eternally; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.