Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

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

Ant. Thou hast created all things, O Lord, for the use of man; and man for the enjoyment of thyself.

Psalm III.

THE harvest sun, in looking for a cloud on which he may rest his wearied beams,

Seeks not to shorten the journey of his light, but kindly spares the reaper's head.

Much less hast thou, O Lord, who madest the sun, and inspirest all creatures to represent thy bounty;

Much less hast thou, by the reserve of a day, sought to procure thy own repose;

Thou who createdst all things by a word of thy mouth, and sustainest them in thy hand without the slightest effort;

Who governest the whole world without the least confusion of thy plans; and remainest always the same inexhaustible ful

ness.

'Tis not to increase thy own eternity that thus thou demandest a portion of our time;

The day thou hast selected, bears, indeed, thy name; but thou intendest for us all the blessings it confers;

That wearied hands may be relieved by rest, and enabled to lift themselves up to thee:

That uninstructed minds may be taught thy truth; and learn the way to everlasting happiness;

That guilty consciences may acknowledge their crimes; and be absolved on earth, to be pardoned in heaven.

That souls prepared by love may approach thy holy table, and feast their hopes at that delicious banquet;

That all may speak to thee in prayer; and hear thy words through the voice of their pastors.

O blessed Lord! how admirable are the expedients of thy wisdom to bring us to thyself!

Thou delightest our eyes by the beauty of thy house, and the becoming splendor of thy solemn worship.

Thou quickenest our affections by the liveliness of pictures; and meltest our hearts with the sweetness of thy music.

Thou strengthenest our faith by thy public assemblies; and inflamest our love for thee and for each other;

While we all meet together for the same laudable end; and by our joint devotions are more powerfully encouraged to a life of virtue.

Happy, thrice happy, O merciful God, they whom thy providence has favoured with all these advantages:

Who can freely enter thy holy sanctuary; and sing aloud their praises to thy name. Who every day can come before thy altars, and there securely adore thy person.

Where thou art pleased to withhold these mercies, refuse not, O Lord, to extend thy grace;

That at least we may build a little chapel in our hearts; and consecrate ourselves entirely to thee.

Be thou but present, gracious God! and fill our souls with thy divine love.

Nothing more will be requisite to render us active in thy service; nor shall we need any other temple for the offering of our prayers.

For every place where thou art not, is unholy, and where thou art, joy and peace must reign.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

Ant. Thou hast created all things, O Lord! for the use of man; and man for the enjoyment of thyself.

Ant. If the Almighty Goodness has made all things for us, shall we do nothing for him? nothing for ourselves?

Psalm IV.

COME, let us lay aside the cares of this world, and meditate upon the joys of heaven. Let us discard every thing else from our thoughts; and prepare our mind for the entertainment of our God;

Retiring from the many distractions of life; and closely recollecting all the faculties of our soul;

To pursue in earnest that one thing necessary, the securing for ourselves the kingdom of heaven.

Why should we so much neglect that important science; and busy ourselves in every thing but our own salvation?

Why should we forsake the real substance to run after the empty shadow?

Miserable are they, O Lord, who study other things; and make no effort to taste of thy sweetness:

Miserable, though they could speak to us learnedly of the stars, and point out the ways of the planets.

To know thee, O Lord, is to be truly wise; and to contemplate thee, the most sublime philosophy.

But, O thou glorious God of truth! in whom the treasures of knowledge are all laid up,

Unless thou draw the curtain from before our eyes, and drive away the clouds that intercept our sight,

Never shall we see those heavenly mysteries; nor discern the beauty of thy providence.

Send forth thy light, O thou Morning Star! and lead us to thy holy hill.