blessings be upon my actions, and thy grace direct my intentions; that the whole course of my life, and the principal design of my heart, may always tend to the advancement of thy glory, the good of others, and the eternal salvation of my own soul, through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour, who, with thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Give me grace, O Lord, to do what thou commandest, and command what thou pleasest.

Give me grace to suffer what thou permittest, and permit what thou pleasest.

O holiest Virgin, Mother of my God, and my especial Patroness! shew thyself my mother, and take me under thy protection this day.

Angel of God, who art my guardian, enlighten, guard, direct, and govern me, who have been committed to thee by the supernal clemency. Amen.

And ye, O holy saints (N. N.), my chosen and beloved patrons, intercede for me to God, that, by the guidance of his grace, I may love, and rejoice, and praise him here; and hereafter, with you, behold his face for all eternity. Amen.

The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, descend upon me, and dwell in my heart for ever. Amen.

A THIRD FORM OF MORNING PRAYER.

1. An Act of Adoration.

O almighty and everlasting God, Lord of heaven and earth, behold I, a poor worm of the earth, and a most miserable sinner, presume to appear before thee, and speak to thee, the Holy of Holies, and the sovereign Maker of all things. Öh, cast me not away from thy face, how unworthy soever; but assist me now by thy divine grace, and teach me to pray to thee as I ought.

And first,-acknowledging myself thy creature, and the work of thy hands, and confessing my total dependence

on thee, I desire to praise and glorify thee, and to pay thee the best homage I am able, in union with that which is paid to thee by all that fear thee and love thee upon earth, and by all the blessed angels and saints in heaven, and by thy Son my Saviour Jesus Christ in his humanity. I adore thy sovereign Majesty, prostrate in soul and body before thee. I offer up myself, and all that I have or am, to thee as to my first beginning; and I aspire to thee as my last end, with whom I hope to live for ever.

2. An Act of Thanksgiving.

I

I give thee thanks, from the bottom of my heart, for all thy benefits; for having thought of me from all eternity; for having made me out of nothing, preserved me from innumerable evils, borne with me so long in my sins, when there was but a hair's-breadth betwixt my soul and hell; redeemed me by the death and passion of thy only Son; called me to the true Church, in preference to millions of others; so often admitted me to thy sacraments; favoured me with thy graces and inspirations; watched over me night and day; appointed thy angels to guard me, and prepared a happy eternity for me. thank thee especially this morning for having preserved me in the past night, and brought me safely to the beginning of the day. For these and all thy other blessings bestowed upon me, a most unworthy sinner, and upon thy whole Church, and every member thereof, whether triumphant in heaven, suffering in purgatory, or militant on earth, and especially those bestowed on our head, Jesus Christ; and for thy own great glory manifested in the creation and redemption of the world, I give thee most humble and hearty thanks, in union with the thanksgiving of the same Lord Jesus Christ thy Son; and of thy whole Church in heaven and earth.

3. An Act of Contrition.

What a wretched return have I hitherto made to thee, O my God, for all thy mercies and favours! I have daily transgressed thy commandments in thought, word, and deed; I have neglected thy gracious calls and in

spirations, abused thy patience and long-suffering, and too often have crucified my Saviour by my offences. And now, O Lord, what shall I say, but that it grieves me to the bottom of my heart that I have so grievously offended thy infinite goodness. I acknowledge myself unworthy to lift up my eyes to heaven, or so much as to name thy holy name, after so many treasons against thy divine Majesty. The meanest place amongst thy servants is infinitely too good for me, who have deserved a thousand hells. But as thy mercy is greater than my iniquities, so I am encouraged to return to thee like the prodigal child. I detest all my sins, because they are detestable in thy sight; I most humbly beg pardon for them all, through the death and passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour; and I resolve, by thy grace, rather to die than to commit the like any more. Be thou my keeper, O Lord, for the time to come; and give me a penitential spirit, that I may daily offer henceforward to thee the sacrifice of a contrite and humble heart. I desire, by thy grace, to make satisfaction for my sins by worthy fruits of penance; and I willingly accept from thy hands whatever pains, crosses, or sufferings I shall meet with during the remainder of my life, or at my death, as just punishments of my iniquities, begging that they may be united to the sufferings and death of my Redeemer, and sanctified by his passion, in which is all my hope for mercy, grace, and salvation.

4. An Oblation.

I desire to spend this day in thy divine service; and therefore I now offer up to thee all my thoughts, words, and actions, that they may be all consecrated to thee by a pure intention of thy greater glory, in union with that pure intention with which our Lord Jesus Christ performed all his actions in his mortal life. I beg that my whole soul, with all its powers, may be ever thine; that my memory may be always recollected in thee, that my understanding may always be enlightened by thy truth, my will always inflamed by thy love.

and

5. Resolutions and Petitions for Grace.

I humbly beg thy grace, through the death and passion of Jesus Christ, that I may not fall into any sin this day, and especially that I may be preserved from those faults to which I am most subject. I resolve to renounce them, O my God, now and for ever; and, to the best of my power, to fly all dangerous occasions, and to resist the first motion towards them. But of myself I can do nothing, and therefore my whole trust and confidence are in thy power, goodness, and mercy, and in the assistance of thy divine grace. Oh, look upon me, dear Lord, or, like another Judas, I shall betray thee this day. Oh, rather let me die than be so miserable.

Grant that I may serve thee this day in spirit and truth, by faith, hope, and love; give me prudence to direct my steps to thee, justice to regulate my conduct to my neighbours, fortitude to carry me safe through all difficulties and dangers, and temperance to restrain me from all unlawful pleasures and passions; teach me to be meek and humble of heart, and to deny myself, and to take up my cross and follow thee; and in all things to know and to do thy holy will.

6. Intercession.

Have mercy on the whole Church militant upon earth; exalt her by the gifts of thy grace to all her members; give her saints for her chief bishops and other prelates; propagate her faith throughout the whole world; extirpate all heresies, schisms, errors, and abuses; convert all poor sinners to thee; grant perseverance to all that are in thy grace, in whose prayers and good works I desire to be associated; let thy right hand assist and protect all the clergy and religious, and all apostolical missionaries throughout the world, that they may all faithfully promote thy cause, and shine like lights to the rest of the faithful. Have mercy on all Christian kings and princes, and on all magistrates and men in power, that they may all fear, love, and serve thee, and reverence thy Church. Have mercy on this nation, and remove from us those scourges which our manifold sins

have deserved, and bring back our wandering steps to the ways of peace and truth. Have mercy on my parents, relations, friends, and benefactors, and on all those for whom I am more particularly bound to pray, or who have desired my prayers; on my superiors; on all those who are under my charge; on all those whom I have injured, or to whom I have given scandal, by word, action, or bad example. Have mercy also upon my enemies; forgive them their sins, and fill both their hearts and mine with thy charity. Comfort all those who are in affliction, sickness, or pain; assist all that are in slavery or captivity; defend all that are under temptation, and grant a happy passage to all that are in their agony; grant to us all relief in our respective necessities, the remission of all our sins, the grace of final perseverance, and life everlasting. Remember also, O Lord, all the faithful departed that have slept in thy faith and in thy grace, and especially those whom I am more particularly bound or accustomed to pray for; deliver them from all their pains, and grant them rest, light, and peace everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

7. Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

O blessed Virgin Mary, unspotted Mother of my God and Saviour Jesus Christ, be thou a mother to me, since thy adorable Son has been pleased to call us all his brethren, and to recommend us all to thee, in the person of his beloved disciple. Take me and mine under thy holy protection, and continually represent to the eternal Father, in our behalf, the merits of the death and passion of thy Son our Saviour.

8. Prayer to all Saints and Angels.

O all ye glorious angels and saints, and you in particular, my holy patrons, N. and N., happy citizens of the heavenly Sion, pray for us poor children of Eve, to our common Lord, by the merits of our common Mediator, that we may ever love him and serve him here, till we come with you to love, praise, and enjoy him for all eternity.