PRAYERS. and plenty dwell about her, let holiness and honour be her guard, and let all the fulness of Thy blessings be upon her, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer for the Prince Palatine, with the Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness, hear our humble supplications which we make unto Thee for Thy blessings and favours upon Frederic Prince Elector Palatine, and the Lady Elizabeth his wife, with their princely issue: Endue them with Thy Holy Spirit; enrich them with Thy heavenly grace; prosper them with all happiness; and bring them to Thine everlasting kingdom: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Lord's Name be praised. PRAYERS FOR THE FOUR EMBER WEEKS. AMONG all the set Fasts of the year, Lent hath the first, and these Ember days the second place: days of devotion and fasting, which were instituted of old, and observed at the four seasons of the year, as for many others, so chiefly for these reasons. First, That Christians in these religious duties towards God might let the world know they were as devout and forward as formerly the Jews had been, whose custom it was to observe four several and solemn times of fast in the year; though for other ends and upon other occasions than now the use of the Church is to do. 2. For that these times are as the first fruits of every season, which we rightly dedicate to the service and the honour of God. 3. That by beginning these several parts of the year with an holy, righteous, and sober life, we might the better learn how to spend the remainder of every season accordingly. 4. That we might obtain the continuance of God's favour towards us for the fruits of the earth, which at these times are for the most part either sown, or sprung up, or coming to their ripeness, or gathered into the barn. 5. That we might recall, bewail, and repent us the more seriously of those sins which all the season before we have, through our frailty and wilfulness, committed. 6. That our bodies might, by the imploring of God's mercies, be freed from those common distemperatures a Leo de jejun. decimi mensis, Serm. 4. [Bibl. Patr., tom. v. p. ii. p. 797. edit. fol. Colon. 1618.] S. Hieron. in Zach. viii. [Opp. v. 252. edit. 1579.] Gratian. dist. 76. c. jejun. [fol. 124. b. edit. Paris. 1531.] b Leo de jejun. sept. mens. Serm. 9. [Bibl. Patr., tom. v. p. ii. p. 865. edit. fol. Colon. 1618.] PRAYERS. which usually these four seasons of the year, through the predominant humours then reigning, do bring along with them. 7. And, lastly, for that at these times it was the ordinary custom of the Church, and it is so still, by the imLuke 6.12. position of her Bishops' hands, to give holy and sacred Orders ; Acts 13. 3. which Orders were ever given as well by Christ and His Apostles, as their successors, with solemn prayer and fasting beforehand. Vers. Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord. Resp. Who hath made heaven and earth. Vers. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Resp. From henceforth, world without end. Amen. THE PSALMS. PSALM 119. Beati immaculati. 1. Blessed are those that are undefiled in the way and walk in the law of the Lord. 2. Blessed are they that keep His testimonies and seek Him with their whole heart. 3. For they which do no wickedness: walk in His ways. 4. Thou hast charged that we shall diligently keep Thy commandments. : 5. O that my ways were made so direct that I might keep Thy statutes ! 6. So shall I not be confounded: while I have respect unto all Thy commandments. : 7. I will thank Thee with an unfeigned heart when I shall have learned the judgments of Thy righteousness. 8. I will keep Thy ceremonies: O forsake me not utterly. 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. Legem pone. 1. Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes : and I shall keep it unto the end. c Const. and Canons, cap. 31. [ap. Sparrow, p. 281.] |